Hiba Baddou (b. March 1, 1997, Rabat, Morocco) is a filmmaker, photographer, painter, performer, and art director. Deeply influenced by her homeland, she developed an early passion for storytelling through diverse visual languages. Her practice explores themes of identity, ritual, and language, blending retro-futuristic aesthetics with Moroccan cultural influences.
She graduated in filmmaking from the International Film School (EICAR) in Paris in 2018, where she received the EICAR Award for Best Direction and Best Cinematography for her graduation film. She later pursued a master’s in Art Direction at Penninghen (2019–2023), refining her distinctive visual approach and earning a special mention chaired by Jean Charles de Castelbajac.
Her work as a painter has been exhibited in major institutions such as Bab El Kebir in Rabat (under the auspices of the Moroccan Ministry of Culture and the Institut Français) and the Villa des Arts in Rabat and Casablanca. As a filmmaker and photographer, she has exhibited at the Photography Museum with the National Moroccan Museum Foundation. She gained international recognition with Paraboles, a multidisciplinary project exploring the impact of imagery on migration.
Her short film The Sacralisation of Images was selected for several international film festivals, winning First Prize at the AVIFF Art Film Festival in 2024, as well as the prestigious Art for Change Prize awarded by the Saatchi Gallery in London.
Hiba’s work was also featured in the 2024 Dakar Biennale. In 2025, she presented a solo exhibition at the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (MACAAL) in Marrakech. That same year, her work was presented by Loft Art Gallery at Paris Photo.
Alongside her personal artistic practice, Hiba has collaborated as an art director with musicians including David August, Manu Chao, Keziah Jones, and Amadou & Mariam, creating album covers and original visual identities. Her passion for calligraphy and artistic improvisation, often inspired by music, has also led her to perform live, notably at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.
Today, Hiba continues to push the boundaries of contemporary art, weaving together photography, painting, film, and performance in a multidisciplinary practice that questions the place of images and traditions within the modern world.