Opening with the titular character talking to a TV reporter about his life on the street, Ali Zaoua anchors its story of street urchins in the harsh reality of Casablanca, the city with the highest population of homeless children in Morocco. In the interview, the young Ali tells the reporter that his mother (a sex worker) wanted to sell his eyes – thus introducing one of the most harrowing themes of the film: the cruelty that deserted children must live with. Ali dies shortly after the interview through a careless act of violence, his friends spending much of the film planning a funeral worthy of their friend. Employing an excellent cast of real-life homeless children and skillfully blending cinematic realism with magic elements, Nabil Ayouch’s film depicts their tough milieu with playfulness while never losing sight of the dignity and empathy the characters in this touching film deserve. — AISHA JAMAL