Izza Génini was born in Casablanca in 1942, but left her native Morocco in 1960 to follow her parents to France. She studied literature and foreign languages at the Sorbonne and at the School of Oriental Languages before taking charge from 1966 to 1970 of the external relations of the festivals of Tours and Annecy. In 1973, Izza created the SOGEAV company for the distribution of films in French-speaking Africa, the distribution of African films abroad and the production of films such as "El Hal" and "Trances."