Hibapress / MAP
The 1st edition of the Sahara Film Festival opened on Monday in Laâyoune, in the presence of a host of cinema and media professionals.
Initiated by the Federation of Cinema and Audiovisual Professionals in the Sahara, this two-day cinematographic event aims to establish bridges of communication between filmmakers, and to share their experiences with cinema professionals, students and enthusiasts. of the domain.
The opening ceremony of this first edition was marked by the organization of a series of conferences focused on “The image of the Sahara in Moroccan cinema”, “The Sahara as a space of literary and cinematographic creativity” , “The role of the professional actor in strengthening the cinematographic act in the southern provinces”, and “The Sahara as a species of creativity in screenwriting”.
On this occasion, producers, directors, filmmakers and actors underlined the importance of drawing inspiration from the diversity of the Sahrawi space and the richness of the Hassani cultural heritage for the creation of cinematographic productions.
In this wake, the speakers pleaded to further promote cinematographic and media productions dedicated to the Hassani heritage in its different aspects, as well as to the Sahrawi space as a creative place, which, by its infinite expanses, has inspired numerous filmmakers around the world.
Likewise, they stressed the need to document Hassani culture, to activate training programs dedicated to the 7th art, in particular documentary film, calling on directors and filmmakers to encourage filming in Sahrawi spaces, to diversify their productions. , and to share their experiences to produce quality documentaries.
The documentary film constitutes the cinematographic genre most suited to the promotion of Hassani heritage in its various components, based on the fact that it relates the reality of the facts, they noted.
In a speech for the occasion, the president of the Federation of cinema and audiovisual professionals in the Sahara, Said Zribiaa, stressed that the Federation aspires to make this festival an annual meeting to promote the Saharan space, to know the assets of the southern regions of the Kingdom, the spaces they shelter, as well as the opportunities offered for filming cinematographic films.
In this line, he called for trust in the abilities of directors and producers from the southern provinces and to offer them more opportunities to unleash their potential, citing in this regard the Moroccan director Ahmed Bouchekla, who won last November an Award in London, as part of the 5th edition of the “London Arthouse Film Festival”.
The opening ceremony of the Sahara Film Festival was marked by a tribute paid to the godfather of cinema in the southern provinces, Mouloud Zouhir, in recognition of his contributions in this field.
The program of this festival includes screenings of documentary films by directors from the southern provinces on the theme of the Sahara, training workshops, conferences, and meetings with filmmakers and film producers.
