KOCHI: The movie Adam screened at IFFK in World Cinema category portrays the story of two single mothers who are not ready to give up. The 98-minute Arabic movie is directed by Moroccan director Maryam Touzani. When the movie begins, one of the lead characters, Samia, is pregnant and desperate to find a job.
She wanders through the streets in Casablanca, a city in western Morocco. Her search bears fruit when Abla, who runs a small bakery, agrees to provide a shelter for Samia for a few days. Abla is a single mother of an eight-year-old girl named Warda. Samia finds it difficult to manage her pregnancy out of wedlock, however, Warda’s curiosity about her unborn child and the girl’s love towards fellow beings brings joy to Samia.
The sufferings and challenges faced by single mothers are portrayed in the movie. It revolves around the challenges faced by the two women in bringing up a child in a judgemental society. Though the film begins on a negative note, it has a positive climax. Abla’s bakery is successful.
Though Samia initially refuses to take care of the baby born out of wedlock, Abla’s constant support helps Samia learn to accept and love her child and name him Adam. The movie was also screened in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ section at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It is Morocco’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category for the upcoming 92nd Academy Awards.