Born in the vibrant city of Rabat, Morocco, Maryam Belouali (b. 2005) grew up mesmerized by the storytelling traditions of her homeland, from bustling souks to the Atlas Mountains’ oral folklore. After earning a degree in Film Production from the Marrakech School of Visual Arts, she sought to expand her horizons beyond North Africa. In 2015, she relocated to Seoul, South Korea, drawn by the global rise of Korean cinema and its bold storytelling innovations. A vocal advocate for diversity in global cinema, Belouali mentors young Arab and African filmmakers through her nonprofit, Cinema Without Borders, while producing Korean-Moroccan co-productions. Her recent thriller Shadows of the Medina (2024), shot in Chefchaouen and Busan, solidified her reputation as a visionary bridging worlds. Based in Seoul but deeply rooted in her heritage, Belouali often quotes a Moroccan proverb: “A story is a gift—unwrap it carefully.” Her work continues to challenge borders, proving that magic lies where cultures collide.
