Rabat – Representing the Moroccan film “Adam,” directed by Maryam Touzani, two stars of the film, Loubna Azabal and Nisrine Erradi, shared a passionate kiss on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival this week.
Photographers were quick to capture the moment, and photos have since gone viral on social media, eliciting mixed reactions. While some praised the bold move, the gesture shocked many.
In response to the backlash, Azaba chose to apologize in a video “for the kiss I gave to Nisrin in Cannes. It’s my fault. I kissed Nisrin because I consider her as a sister.”
“It was a naive kiss and it’s my fault, I did not think. I did not want to hurt or shock anyone, especially during Ramadan,” said the actress. “I apologize to the fans of Nisrin, and to the Moroccan people. I apologize to everyone, everyone who was hurt.
“It was a naive kiss because I really think of her as my sister,” she repeated. She finished the video by saying Erradi is “not to blame, as she wasn’t warned.”
Touzani’s film, Adam, is about the reality of having a baby out of wedlock in Morocco.
Touzani explained the reasoning behind the featuring of a taboo topic in the film: “There is a facade that everything is alright on the outside even if people are tormented inside. It is good to let in some air and light, and people are relieved and happy things are being spoken about.”
