I'm Haytam Laalilis

I’m Haytam Laalilis, born in Ouarzazate, Morocco “Hollywood of Africa” where the desert light first taught me how to frame a story. My dad, a poet and novelist, filled our home with art and old films. Those nights watching Hitchcock, Scorsese, and Deakins sparked my obsession with the lens.

At 17, I grabbed a beat-up camera and started shooting raw, gritty shorts with friends. Life was tough money tight, family weighed heavy but I chased the craft anyway. Film school lasted two years before I jumped into the real grind: cutting video clips, directing commercials, and capturing a documentary on Zagoura’s vibrant marriage traditions.

Since then, I’ve collaborated with brands like Kia, We Speak Citizen, and Insight, and directed music videos that echo with Moroccan soul. I’ve shot for a Canadian label, worked with a Disney veteran on a documentary, and even created a fan-made Toyota concept ad—pure passion, no budget, just love for the frame.

One of my proudest nods? Landing 20th place as a cinematographer at a Rabat film fest. But for me, it’s never been about awards it’s about the emotion behind every shot. I’m a storyteller with Morocco in my blood, chasing moments that breathe, shout, and stick with you.