CASABLANCA BEATS

Former rapper Anas takes a job at a cultural center in the working-class neighborhood of Sidi Moumen in Casablanca. Encouraged by their new teacher, his students will try to free themselves from the weight of restrictive traditions to live their passion and express themselves through hip-hop.

With a warmth reminiscent of School of Rock, Nabil Ayouch’s feel-good paean to the collective power of hip-hop imbues a sense of hope to the poverty-stricken suburb of Sidi Moumen. Playing a fictionalized version of themselves, the cast of nonprofessional actors captivate with their easy chemistry.