The Africa Cup of Nations 2025 final unfolded in a highly charged atmosphere, punctuated by several flashpoints: an attempted pitch invasion by Senegalese supporters, Senegal’s players briefly leaving the field in protest of a late penalty awarded to Morocco, and Brahim Díaz’s missed Panenka. In the days that followed, social media turned into a pressure cooker of emotions, with waves of anger, blame, and, at times, openly racist reactions targeting both Moroccans and
Initially a journalist, the Belgian-Moroccan director Jawad Rhalib was guided by his enthusiasm for societal issues, in order to approach the camera differently. Finding even more freedom in cinema, he explores documentary and fiction to express contemporary concerns, through works that become catalysts for debates.