The documentary film “Um Echgag”, by Moroccan director Ahmed Bouchalga, was screened on Tuesday evening in London, as part of the fifth edition of the London Arthouse Film Festival (LAHFF), offering British film buffs an insight into Moroccan Hassani cinema .
This production shines the spotlight on an important period in the history of the Sahara, recounting the events leading to the holding of the Um Echgag congress, which in 1956 brought together notables and representatives of all the Moroccan and Sahrawi tribes. the culmination of which was the sending of a delegation to Rabat to renew the bonds of allegiance to the late King Mohammed V upon his return from exile.
Based on archives and testimonies collected from Sahrawi activists, the documentary traces the events which marked the region from the arrival of French and Spanish forces until the completion of the territorial integrity of the kingdom, following the Green March.
This film is “the fruit of two years of effort and significant research work in French and Spanish archives, in order to present sourced and verifiable information,” the film’s director, Ahmed Bouchalga, told MAP.
“It is therefore a plea in favor of the Moroccanness of the Sahara”, since it reveals historical facts which testify to the unwavering links between the Sahrawis and Morocco, as well as their attachment to the Alawite Throne, he underlined.
For his part, the president of the Federation of Cinema and Audiovisual Professionals in the Sahara, Said Zribiaa, explained that the screening of the film in London is part of the agreement concluded between the Federation and the management of the LAHFF, in order to defend the National Cause and promote the development of the Hassani film.
This participation also aims to “promote the Moroccan Sahrawi space in world cinema”, while establishing contacts and partnerships with the other participants in this cultural event, he detailed.
The London Arthouse Film Festival presents itself as an event that believes in the power of cinema to create societal change, advocate for human rights and tell stories of peace.
This event offers the opportunity for filmmakers from diverse backgrounds to screen their productions in highly symbolic locations, thus promoting an enriching cultural exchange.
