Fatna, a woman named Rachid

Directed by Helene Harder

Fatna El Bouih, Moroccan activist who survived torture in the 70's pursues her dream of change

Genre: Politics, Human Rights, Foreign Worlds, Portrait, and Contemporary Issues
Synopsis: After surviving arbitrary detention and torture in 1970s Morocco, Fatna El Bouih continues to pursue her dream of change through relentless activism in a country that remains an open-air prison.
‘Fatna, a woman named Rachid’ is a sensitive journey blending past and present, revealing why Fatna’s torturers gave her the male name Rachid - and what it takes to remain a woman activist today.
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The film follows Fatna today in her relentless activism in Morocco and abroad. Blending archival footage with contemporary images, Fatna’s inner voice narrates her life — from her birth at Morocco’s independence to her engagement with the revolutionary left during the turbulent 1970s.
Fatna, a Woman Named Rachid is an intimate and sensory journey through time and space — the portrait of a pioneering woman who, despite her suffering, kept alive her dream for change in a country that remains an open-air prison.
Stage: finished
Running time: 90 and 0 minutes

Release year: 2025
Festivals: Marrakech International Film Festival, Hot Docs, Cinemamed, PCMMO
Broadcast (Prod.): 2M TV in Morocco
Broadcast (Acq.): Al Jazeera English
Language: moroccan arabic, french, syrian arabic
Subtitles: english, french, arabic