Mounia Meddour , whose feature debut “ Papicha ” opened at Cannes and won two prizes at the Cesar Awards in 2020, has pulled together an eclectic female cast for her next film, “Malika,” which will tell the true story of Malika Bellaribi. A French-Algerian woman who grew up in the Parisian projects, Bellarbi survived trauma and ultimately achieved her dream of becoming a renowned lyrical singer.

Lilya Adad, who was a finalist in “The Voice” in 2018 and performed in the popular French musical “Starmania” in 2023, will play the lead role in “Malika.” She’ll star alongside Zylberstein (“I’ve Loved You So Long”), Azabal (“Incendies”), Camille Razat (“Emily in Paris”) and Djebril Zonga (“Les Miserables”). Filming will kick off on location in the Paris region on Nov. 21.

Speaking to Variet

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