The Manar El Hank Arts Association is organising the 9th edition of the Arab World Festival of Educational Short Films in Casablanca from 14 to 17 December, under the theme "Digitalisation and cinema: pedagogical tools for a new generation".
This edition is organised in partnership with the Moroccan Cinematographic Centre (CCM), the Casablanca City Council, and the Hassan II Mosque Foundation, indicates a press release from the association, which notes the importance of this event in promoting the pedagogical role of cinema.
From the same source, we learn that the organisers have selected 10 short films from no fewer than 80 candidate films representing Arab countries, including "Heart Attack" (Syria), "65 Days" (Morocco), and "Dry Leaves" (Sultanate of Oman).
In addition to the screening of the competing films, the festival also reserves time for reflection, with a programme including debates on "Digitalisation and creation" and "Challenges posed by artificial intelligence", moderated respectively by the writer-journalist Ahmed Sijlmassi and the academic Mohamed Rachdi, as well as a masterclass led by the Moroccan actor Al Mahmoudi.
As for the tribute, it will be reserved for the writer-journalist Ahmed Sijlmassi, the actor Nabil Atif, as well as the Omani artist Taleb Ben Mohamed Al-Belouchi.
The programme of the Arab World Festival of Educational Short Films is designed to allow meetings with the directors of the selected films, producers, as well as actors in the world of education, note the organisers, stressing that the short films offered tell stories of education that echo the most current concerns, particularly those related to digitalisation.
