Raymonde El Bidaoia

Raymonde - diva, queen, enigma, inspiration, survivor, widow, woman, and mother. Armed with a camera, Yael Abecassis followed her mother and stepped into a world where she had always been a stranger. "You know, daughter, Morocco is a kind of therapy," Raymonde says, and for the first time, they embark on a journey together: from a childhood in the mellah of Casablanca to the dunes of Ashdod and back to Morocco, where the mother became the legendary Raymonde El Bidaoia - a world-famous Moroccan singer. As they journey, Yael discovers a woman who articulates her weaknesses and the complexities of her choices with keen self-awareness, even when mother and daughter are transposed, twined together by guilt, admiration, pain, and above all else - limitless love and music.

Directed by Yaël Abecassis, Raymonde El Bidaoia leans on a strong ensemble — Raymonde Abecassis, Yaël Abecassis — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2020.