The 23rd edition of the European Film Weeks opened on Wednesday in Rabat with the screening of the Irish short film "Jimmy's Hall", the final point of an exceptional cinematic career spanning more than five decades, and the Moroccan short film "Leur nuit" by Moroccan director Narrimane Yamna Faqir.

"Jimmy's Hall" is a beautiful social tale that vigorously denounces stupidity and intolerance in a village in the north of Ireland in the 1930s. It stars Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, and Andrew Scott.

"Leur nuit" is centred on a night watchwoman in a car park who evokes the mysterious disappearance of her daughter.

Speaking on this occasion, the European Union ambassador to Morocco, Rupert Joy, noted that most cinemas in Morocco are now digitised, which allows this event to continue to live in several cities, adding that the city of Casablanca will once again be a new destination for the European Film Weeks next year.

For the first time, the films will be broadcast in DCP, which today has finished replacing the 35mm format.

The selection for this edition is composed of the German documentary film "The Salt of the Earth" by Wim Wenders and Juliano Salgado, which was distinguished both at Cannes (ecumenical jury prize "special mention" and special prize un certain regard) and at San Sebastian (audience award), and the Belgian film "Two Days, One Night" by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne with Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, and Olivier Gourmet, which was in official competition at the last Cannes Film Festival.

From France, "3 Hearts" by Benoit Jacquot will be screened, as well as the British documentary film "National Gallery" by Frederick Wiseman and the Hungarian film "White God" by Kornel Mundruczo.

The Italian film "The Wonders" by Alice Rohrwacher and the Romanian film "Mother and Son" by Calin Peter Netzer will also be presented.

In addition to the short film "Leur nuit", two films by two young female directors will be presented. These are "Une journée ordinaire" by Bahia Allouache from Algeria and "Peau de colle" by Kaouther Ben Hania from Tunisia.

Besides Rabat, Tangier, and Marrakech, which were already meeting places for this event in the past, this edition renews the desire to attract more young people to cinemas and to discover the view that European filmmakers have of the world.