The Postcard

Asmae El Moudir uses a photo on a postcard as the jumping off point for her documentary debut, which takes her on a trip to the Moroccan mountain village of Zaiwa, where her mother once lived. It is there that she meets youngster Oum Elaid, who provides some voiceover for the film as she describes her life - which chiefly revolves around her ninth grade studies and looking after the family goats.

El Moudir immerses herself in the life of the village, largely jettisoning the angle of considering her mother's past in favour of embracing the daily lives of Oum Elaid's family and neighbours - an existence far removed from the more urban lifestyles in other parts of Morocco and, as the documentarian explores increasingly through the film, culturally conservative in terms of what is offered to and expected from women. The picture that emerges is one that is familiar from many rural areas the world over, of the younger generation finding themselves left with few choices but to leave if they want to further their ambitions beyond the simple lifestyles of their parents.

This is a gentle and ruminative study that benefits from El Moudir's intimate approach, which saw her wield her own camera, something that doubtless helps her to get closer to family life. The director does, however, get caught between her initial premise, concerning her mother's life, and the ensuing development of her film, which leans towards more quotidian elements, so that the it feels somewhat shapeless in places, and it would have benefited from being lent a stronger arc concerning what the future holds from Oum Elaid in the edit.

This is a small film with modest ambitions but it does indeed offer a postcard of sorts to a world many viewers won't be aware of and has been made with a lot of heart.