Abdelatif Kechiche Returns to Moroccan Cinemas with a New Film Exploring the Conflict of Dreams and Identity
French-Tunisian director Abdelatif Kechiche returns to Moroccan screens with his new work titled “My Love is Written: The Second Anthem,” offering a cinematic experience that blends drama, romance, and comedy. The film chronicles the journey of a young Maghrebian who oscillates between dreams and reality, personal ambition, and the twists of fate.
The film follows the story of Ameen, a young Frenchman of Maghrebian descent, who returns to the city of Sete after years spent in Paris, carrying with him an old dream of cinema that has remained alive despite the distance and time. The events unfold as Ameen attempts to find a foothold for his artistic projects when coincidence strikes: one of his ideas, titled “Fundamental Principles of Cosmic Existence,” catches the attention of an American producer vacationing in the city.
The plot thickens when the producer proposes casting his wife, Jess, in the lead role, leaving Ameen faced with difficult choices that intertwine his professional ambitions with the realities of life, mixing romantic and physical relationships with friendships and life-altering decisions.
The film paints a vivid picture of Ameen’s daily life by following his relationships with the women around him and his close friends, in a context that reflects the challenges faced by Maghrebian youth in Europe, particularly regarding questions of identity and cultural belonging.
Moreover, the work highlights the struggle between roots and modern ambitions, as well as the theme of individual choice in the face of fate’s unpredictability—topics that Kechiche has consistently explored in his cinematic works.
The film features a diverse cast that brings depth to the characters, including Shane Boumedine, Judy Taylor, Slim Kechiche, André Jacobs, and Ophélie Bau. The director successfully strikes a balance between the personal dimensions of the story and its cultural and social aspects, presenting a work that transcends mere romance, depicting the reality of a young man striving to align his identity with his ambitions in a challenging environment.
This film continues Abdelatif Kechiche’s cinematic journey, having won the Palme d’Or at the 66th Cannes Film Festival for his film “Blue Is the Warmest Color,” confirming his status as one of the foremost directors capable of blending personal narrative with cultural depth in his works.
