EXIT MARRAKESH/MOROCCO

Germany, 2013, 123 minutes, Colour.
Ulrich Tukur, Samuel Schneider.
Directed by Caroline Link.

A film which has spectacular photography is Exit Marrakesh from Caroline Link who won an Oscar for her 2003 film, Nowhere in Africa. The title indicates that Morocco is the setting.

It opens in Germany with a young man completing his final year at school, interested in being a writer, somewhat precocious in his behaviour with his friends, loving his mother who is absent for work in Paris, rather alienated from his father, a famous theatre director who is on tour in Morocco. His mother wants him to visit his father and get to know him. Hence, Morocco, and the title with indications that the boy will be different when he leaves Morocco, exit Marrakesh.

1. The work of Caroline Link, perspectives, German, female?

2. The beauty of the locations, Morocco, the cities, the detail of various quarters, streets, accommodation, homes, hotels? The beauty of the Moroccan countryside? The mountains and deserts? The musical score?

3. The two titles, the focus?

4. A family story, an adolescent boy, his relationship with his mother, with his absent father? His stances, need for understanding and reconciliation?

5. Ben, the opening, he and his friend contemplating in the fields at dawn? Going to school, the classes, end of the year, his friends, the principal and his interview, advice, wisdom? Ben on the phone calls to his mother, her fussing? The friends going to lie on the beach in Nice and his going to Morocco? Flying to Marrakesh, the arrival, phoning his mother?

6. His character, 16 turning 17, wilful, his relationships in the family, his friends, his resentments? Smoking, the drugs, sexually active? His diabetes, checking his blood sugar level, the injections? The regularity, the pressure – and the dangers of mishaps?

7. Arriving, the car, going to is hotel, settling in, going out, the walk, meeting people, the reactions, his risks? His going to the theatre, seeing his father, the performance?

8. His father, character, leaving the family, his new wife, his young daughter, his work as a theatre director, travelling to Morocco, the range of performances, his reputation? The audience the play, Moroccan elite? The background of colonial attitudes? Ben asking why the German player should be brought for performance in Morocco? The languages, the local, French, English?

9. The plan to, the theatre performances? Then and his leaving the hotel, the encounter with Carl Rima, a leading him on, the sexual encounter, her family, the father slapping her, are finally being with the other prostitutes? The effect on Ben of this encounter?

10. His trip, the adventure, going to the desert, saving himself from boredom? The young guide, friendliness, the two, the formalities of the description, appearance and disappearance, sleeping out at night? The experience in the desert, skiing down the Dunes?

11. His father is concerned, going to the police, the photo in the paper? The guide seeing it, phoning? His father coming to the Dunes? His mother’s concern?

12. Father and son travelling together, the opportunity to talk, the clash about music? Hotels and meals? Chicken? The diabetes and concern? His going to the doctor, removing the braces from?

13. The in the desert, the Knights, in the hotels, chicken, alcohol or not? The rooms, sleeping?

14. Father and son coming closer, the crash, rescuing his father, his collapse, the hospital? Recovery? His mother’s visit?

15. On the beach, all the members of the family there, been meeting his half-sister, her mother? With his father? His mother watching and leaving?
Creating new bonds? Overcoming resentments?

16. The final image of Ben, questions about his future – and when he exits Marrakesh?