Rabat – The first screening of the short film “The Kid(s)” by director Fawzi Ben Said took place today, Tuesday, in Rabat, as part of an advocacy campaign aimed at reforming the provisions of the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure concerning children in conflict with the law.
This screening was organised by the National Council for Human Rights and the Mediterranean Encounters Association for Cinema and Human Rights under the slogan “Alliance of Institutions, Civil Society, and the World of Cinema to Promote Integration Policies, Protect Children in Conflict with the Law, and Combat Recidivism”.
In a speech on the occasion, the President of the National Council for Human Rights, Amina Bouayach, stated that the film's subject matter reflects what are called “expressions of right”, adding that the director, Fawzi Ben Said, succeeded in presenting a precise and humane vision that reveals the complexities of the lives of children in conflict with the law, focusing on the family, social, and economic dimensions that lead them to transgress legal boundaries.
Ms. Bouayach called for society to take responsibility for supporting these children and helping them overcome their mistakes, affirming that “behind every offence committed by a child is a new opportunity for life and a fresh start”.
For his part, the Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Morocco, Daniel Dutot, praised the partnership between the Mediterranean Encounters Association for Cinema and Human Rights and the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration, which has enabled the screening of about 50 films for over 4,000 juvenile delinquents. He noted that these screenings aim to promote a culture of human rights and transform cinema into a tool for exchange and social reintegration.
Mr. Dutot highlighted the joint initiatives between Morocco and the European Union that contribute to ensuring appropriate justice for juvenile delinquents and detained women with their children, in order to ensure respect for their rights in accordance with international standards. He pointed out that the meeting provides an opportunity to support the momentum initiated by the National Council for Human Rights, the Mediterranean Encounters Association for Cinema and Human Rights, and stakeholders in the film industry to reform the provisions of the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure concerning children in conflict with the law.
In the same context, the President of the Mediterranean Encounters Association for Cinema and Human Rights, Faïdoua Marroub, stressed the importance of cinema as a tool for social change and raising awareness of human rights, noting that the short film “The Kid(s)” embodies an innovative vision for building collective awareness about the issues of children in conflict with the law, while emphasising that deprivation of liberty should be the last resort for children.
In a statement to the press, the film's director, Fawzi Ben Said, stated that the film is the result of a long discussion with the association about the situation of children in conflict with the law, and called, in the same vein, for intensified efforts to support this group and reintegrate them into society.
He explained that the film aims to highlight the suffering of children and encourage society to view them as a positive force that can be harnessed.
The short film “The Kid(s)”, written and directed by Moroccan director Fawzi Ben Said, tells the story of a group of children watching a Charlie Chaplin film. The film focuses on the children's faces and their emotions as they interact with the story of an abandoned child, lending the screening a moving atmosphere that captivated the audience.
It should be noted that the short film, produced by the Mediterranean Encounters Association for Cinema and Human Rights in collaboration with other civil society associations, is part of the project “Cinema for Public Policy Reform and Public Policy Reform in Cinema”, funded by the European Union, the National Council for Human Rights, and several other institutions and organisations.
The post Rabat.. First screening of the short film “The Kid(s)” in support of reforming the provisions of the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure concerning children in conflict with the law first appeared on Map Express.
