The 21st edition of the Tetouan International Mediterranean Film Festival (FICMT) will take place from 28 March to 4 April 2015.

Created in 1985 by a group of film enthusiasts from the Association of Friends of Cinema of Tetouan, the FICMT has set itself the objectives of promoting and highlighting the cinema of the countries around the Mediterranean. Thus, 16 countries representing the Mediterranean rim will be invited to this edition to promote their cinematographies and enter the official competition, in all genres, including feature films, short fiction films, and documentaries. Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, France, Italy, Tunisia, Algeria, Spain, among others, will be represented through new cinematic productions addressing themes around the Mediterranean.

On the sidelines of the competition, film enthusiasts will have an appointment with unreleased films as part of the "Panorama" programme, and films that have marked the history of Mediterranean cinema, presented as part of the programme known as "Retrospective". In addition to these screenings, which will take place at the Avenida, Teatro Espanol, French Institute and House of Culture cinemas, the festival organisers have concocted a rich and diverse cultural programme for their audience.

A symposium under the theme "Cinema and audiovisual media" will be on the agenda, as well as two round tables. The first on "Cinema, city and environment" organised in partnership with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, and the second on "Moroccan cinema and the challenges of production", in partnership with the Moroccan Chamber of Producers. The festival will also pay well-deserved tributes to many actors, directors and producers to whom Mediterranean cinema owes a great deal.

"Since the creation of the festival, the city of Tetouan, which welcomes professionals and lovers of the 7th art at each edition, has been endowed with a major cinematic project that it should preserve, maintain and develop for the benefit of quality, rich and diverse cinema, and for the happiness of an audience thirsty for works that reflect the various cultural and civilisational facets of the Mediterranean basin," specify the organisers.

"The 10th edition constituted a historic turning point in the itinerary of this event which bore the title of 'Tetouan Film Encounters' since it was indeed in that year that this cinematic event was transformed into the 'International Mediterranean Film Festival' and enriched with two competitions, feature films and short films," underlines the same source, while specifying that it is "thanks to the exceptional itinerary and the accumulation of 29 years of enriching experience, that the 21st edition of the Tetouan International Mediterranean Film Festival promises to be even more professional, more spectacular and more convivial".

Awards – Feature films 2014

Grand Prix of the City of Tetouan: Bastardo by Nejib Belkadhi (Tunisia – 2013)

Special Jury Prize: Pillow Secrets by Jilali Ferhati (Morocco – 2013)

Best Work Prize: Miele by Valeria Golino (Italy – 2013)

Human Rights Prize: Palestine Stereo by Rashid Masharawi (Palestine)

The festival in figures

- 30 years of existence in the service of cinema

- 8 days of screenings

- 5 screening rooms

- More than 80 films programmed

- Competition: 12 feature films, 15 short films and 12 documentaries

- 16 countries represented

- 200 guests including 90 foreign guests

- 50,000 spectators expected

- 2015 budget estimated at 5 million dirhams