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Hiba Baddou: A Storyteller of Lives in Limbo

Moroccan Hiba Baddou’s short film Paraboles revolves around her most passionate themes of migration and identity, winning her the Art for Change Prize. By Sajini Sahadevan

Once upon a time, a nine-year-old girl in Morocco dreamt of myriad ways how she could tell her stories. Today, film maker, artist and art director Hiba Baddou finds that wish fulfilled. Fresh off winning the Art for Change Prize 2024 by M&C Saatchi Group in the UK, recognition is pouring in from the who’s who of the international art community. Hiba’s works were on display as part of a special exhibition at Saatchi Gallery till January 12, 2025.

M&C Saatchi Group Art For Change Prize 2024 overall winner Hiba Baddou at Saatchi Gallery, London

As someone who has always been fascinated by the themes of immigration, identity, rootedness and exile, it is Hiba’s multidisciplinary short film ‘Paraboles’ that won her the grand prize. A homecoming at several levels, Paraboles is about a family entranced by foreign images, while deeply longing for a new life abroad only to arrive yet again at their roots. Justine Simons OBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries and Chair of Judges, who was part of the stellar jury, refers to Hiba’s film as epic and intimate, calling it “a visually stunning journey from the humble couscous pot to a vast celestial desert landscape”. Hiba’s work, selected from a shortlist featuring five other regional winners, best embodies the theme of the contest – ‘Tomorrow’ing: Visions of a Better Future’.

Paul Foster, Saatchi Gallery Director, calls it “a high-quality film that blends sci-fi aesthetics with social commentary”.

Hiba Baddou by Léo Geoffrion

Witness to the social and cultural transformations brought about by technological advances and the legacies of colonialism, Hiba’s themes are intrinsically tied to the collective history of her country Morocco. Hiba, in an interview with SCALE says, “Certain ways of life can be paradoxical, and it is the embodiment of different worlds that inspires me greatly.”

Story of Nomadism

Hiba Baddou, Hertz Republic, 2023, photography

Her research for ‘Paraboles’, meaning satellite dish in French, has been an adventure in itself. A location recce months before the shoot led Hiba to a trail of discarded television sets across the desert. A thorough optimist, she simply let herself be led through the creative process, embodying a character in the film. Hiba says she ensured that the form and substance were fully coherent and imbued with symbolism. She also encountered a large nomadic family who later acted in the film.

Hiba Baddou, Orion Stopover, 2023, photography

Every element in the film has deliberately been chosen by Hiba. “I worked with nomads to tell a story about nomadism, drawing inspiration from experiences I had personally lived. I collaborated with individuals I deeply admire, without whom this project would not have come to life.

 Always enchanted by the desert and its vastness, when the oppressive heat posed certain unforeseen challenges during the shoot, she used it to channel her inner empath. “It placed me in a state where I could imagine, through my senses and body, what it feels like to be in motion, striving to escape a natural force that can become unbearable. We even lost an entire scene because the heat caused the camera to crash, forcing me to adapt (change) the film’s narrative structure. I find it (the desert) an endlessly inspiring place that feels far removed from the machinery of modern life.”

Hiba Baddou, Orion City, 2023, photography

Paraboles also features Gnawa, a Moroccan musical tradition evolved from the descendants of slaves. Thanks to the cast and crew, the film’s set brimmed with song and dance. “The breathtaking landscape with Hans Voth’s celestial architecture lent a sanctuary-like quality to the setting, immersing us in a unique universe,” Hiba added, referring to the monumental land art structures created by German post-war artist Hannsjörg Voth in the Moroccan desert.

 I rediscovered everything I admire in humanity—its creativity, generosity, grandeur of spirit, and deeply rooted culture.”

At a time when funding for arts and culture is seeing rampant cuts the world over, the Art for Change Prize, launched in 2022, is an effort to promote new artists who explore burning issues within society. Hiba says arts funding is evolving. “Art is an essential medium that helps us better understand the world, offering new perspectives and solutions to modern challenges. Budgetary constraints compel us artists to reassess how we tell our stories and find creative ways to optimise the showcasing of our work.” She calls for supporting projects with social and cultural missions, both institutionally and financially, as their impact can profoundly influence collective mindsets, reflections and humanity’s narrative.

Hiba will be presenting a solo exhibition at the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (AL MACCAL) later this year.