Among the Moroccan feature films are "Rif 58-59" by Tarik El Idrissi, "The Red Scarf" by Mohamed Lyounsi, and "Boulanoir" by Hamid Zoughi.
A dozen films (6 feature films and 6 short films) representing Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, Switzerland, Turkey, Palestine, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco will be in competition at the first edition of the Saïdia Film Festival, which will be held from 25 to 29 August.
Among the feature films are "Rif 58-59" by Tarik El Idrissi (Morocco), "The Red Scarf" by Mohamed Lyounsi (Morocco), "Boulanoir" by Hamid Zoughi (Morocco), "Ribat" by directors Jim Taihuttu (Holland) and Julius Ponten (Belgium), "El ziara" (The Visit) by Nawfel Saheb-Ettabaa (Tunisia), and "Harraga Blues" by Moussa Haddad (Algeria), according to the festival management.
Regarding the short films in competition at the festival, which is held under the theme "Cinema without borders," these include the films "The Journey in the Box" by Franco-Moroccan director Amine Sabir, "The Box" by Moroccan director Driss Sawab, the documentary "Five Broken Cameras" by Palestinian Emad Mohamed Bernat, and "Journey Without Return" by Turkish director Guclu Yaman (Germany-Turkey).
Chaired by the Moroccan Miloudi Chaghmoum, a screenwriter and academic, the jury of the first edition of this festival will decide between the films competing for the "Blue Diamond" prize (feature film category) and the Orange Prize (short film category).
Organised at the initiative of the Al Amal Association for Coexistence and Development, the event aims to promote cinematographic culture in the Oriental region, particularly in Saïdia, to serve as a bridge between Moroccans here and abroad, to spark debate on immigration issues, and to promote the culture of tolerance, the values of coexistence, and the acceptance of others.
The programme for this cultural and artistic event includes several conferences and debates on various issues related to culture, immigration, and Moroccans of the world.
This gathering of film enthusiasts, organised with the support of the Ministry of Communication and the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad, will also be an opportunity to pay tribute to Moroccan director Hicham Ain Al Hayat and actress Majida Benkirane.
