The organisers note a record audience for this 14th edition. The screenings took place to sold-out houses.

Organised by the Aïcha Foundation in partnership with the French Institute of Morocco, the Meknes International Animation Film Festival (FICAM), closed its 14th edition yesterday.

This first festival of its kind in Africa and the Arab world, recorded a record audience this year, according to its organisers, to such an extent that the screening rooms were not enough for the number of spectators.

"To respond to the demand of families and overcome the insufficiency of appropriate rooms dedicated to this type of cinematographic event within the Al Ismaïlia capital, it was decided exceptionally during this edition to extend the FICAM", announce the organisers. Thus, the screenings will be extended until the end of the current week.

The officials affirm, however, that they "will quickly look into the constraints linked to the lack of screening rooms to respond to the growing number of spectators".

This 2015 edition of the festival, which was held from 20 to 25 March, was marked by the screening of a wide variety of films (nearly 50), and some 6,000 spectators, composed of families and young students.

Regarding the young public, to whom the festival grants particular attention, more than 7,000 schoolchildren benefited from the programme dedicated to them. Also, the officials note an effective involvement of more than 100 students from national cinema and fine arts schools and institutes in the work of the training workshops. "Some of these students were selected to participate in artistic creation projects alongside foreign students representing more than 50 countries", underline the organisers.

Furthermore, apart from the lack of screening rooms, the officials had to face another concern of attendance. "We were not able to respond to all the requests from families concerning the "Family Picnic" programme which also took place to a sold-out house", they lament.