Hicham Bidar

Hounds (2023), directed by Hicham Bidar, dives into the gritty underbelly of Casablanca, where every alleyway’s got a story and none of them are exactly bedtime material. The film follows a couple of small-time crooks, Hassan and Issam, hustling to make ends meet in a city that chews up dreamers and spits 'em back out. One night, their boss ropes them into a job that goes way off the rails—a kidnapping with way more strings attached than they bargained for. Suddenly, they’re in way over their heads, dodging dirty cops, rival criminals, and a ticking clock. Everybody seems to have an angle, and nobody’s really what they seem. You get wild, neon-lit chases, backroom deals, and just enough dark humor to keep things from getting too bleak. The city itself feels like a character—loud, unpredictable, and kind of gorgeous in its chaos. Hassan’s got this desperate loyalty to his family, which keeps dragging him deeper into trouble, while Issam’s torn between getting out and sticking by his friend. The tension just keeps ratcheting up as they scramble to fix their mess, making deals with people who’d sell out their own mothers for a quick buck. By the end, you’re left wondering if anyone really wins in a place like this, or if survival’s the best you can hope for. Hounds is raw, fast-paced, and pulls no punches, giving a sharp, unfiltered look at life on the margins.