Born in Bejjaad, Morocco, Hakim Belabbes is a Moroccan-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. He studied film at Columbia College and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He also restructured and directed the Education and Film Grant Department at the Doha Film Institute and developed the concept for the Qumra Film Festival for the same institution.
In addition, he founded the Sahara Lab initiative and has been producing and co-producing short and feature films through his company, HAK Films, for over 15 years. His early works include documentaries such as Un nid dans la chaleur (1992) and Un berger et un fusil (1998). He has since directed numerous films, including Les Fibres de l’âme (2003), Pourquoi la mer? (2006), Ces mains-là (2008), Rêves ardents (2010), Fragments (2011), Vaine tentative de définir l’amour (2013), and Murs effondrés (2021).
His latest film, L’histoire de M., is set to be released this year. Since 2023, Hakim Belabbes has been serving as the director of the Institut Supérieur des Métiers de l’Audiovisuel (ISMAC).
