In the official selection of this 16th edition, whose work continues until 28 February, "Half a Heaven" by Abdelkader Lagtaâ opened the feature film competition. This film, produced in 2014, highlights the suffering of the families of political prisoners of the 70s, as well as their long fight for the liberation of their loved ones. To well describe this part of Morocco's history, Abdelkader Lagtaâ set his sights on the autobiographical book "The Aloe Liqueur" by Jocelyne Laâbi, from which this 102-minute film is drawn. "Half a Heaven" begins with the wave of arrests that occurred in 1972 in the ranks of political opponents, in particular those of the clandestine far-left movement "Ila Al Amame" (Forward). Among the most famous of them: the poet and writer Abdellatif Laâbi. The latter, whose character is played by the young artist Anas El Baz, was in the crosshairs well before the creation of his magazine Souffles (1966-1971). "The fight led by Abdellatif Laâbi is exemplary. Even imprisoned and tortured, he remained very attached to his ideas. And he is still as committed as he was at the time", affirms Abdelkader Lagtaâ, following the screening of his film.

This film shows how Abdellatif Laâbi was strongly supported from the first day of his incarceration by his wife Jocelyne. The latter, whose character is embodied by the actress Sonia Okacha, mobilised with the members of the families of other political prisoners to make the voice of her loved ones heard by public opinion. Having always believed in the values to which her husband calls, Jocelyne almost suffered the same fate as him at the time, by trying to bring her help to one of the famous political opponents on the run. Abdellatif Laâbi was thus able to hold on, before resuming, eight years after his freedom, his militancy through his writings and poems.

Besides "Half a Heaven", this 16th FNFT puts fourteen other feature films in competition, notably "Agadir Express" by Youssef Fadel, "The Orchestra of the Blind" by Mohamed Mouftakir, "The Transporters" by Saïd Nacir, "Chaïbia, the Peasant of Arts" by Youssef Britel, as well as the documentary "Rif 58-59" by Tarik El Idrissi. The work of this event also includes the programming of fifteen short films in official competition. It is a question, among others, of "Anger" by Nour Aytallah, "Jennah" by Meryem Benmbarek, "Bout-à-bout" by Asmae El Moudir, "Dounia" by Janane Fatine Mohammadi, and "The Wall" by El Mehdi Doukkali.