In the second half of the 20th century, around the time it gained independence, Morocco became a hotbed for native filmmakers after being used as a backdrop by auteurs from across Europe. In 1952, the legend Orson Welles won the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival for his adaptation of Othello, which was shot on the country’s rocky and historic coast. But when its name was called, the tradition of the live band playing the national anthem of the film’s country of origin was temporarily abandoned: nobody present knew what the Moroccan national anthem was.
In some ways, Morocco’s filmmakers have been making up for lost time, crafting morality dramas, sweeping epics and romances that have had quiet but impactful launches at film festivals across the globe over the past few decades. But it is still, mostly, quiet. Alongside some of the most talked about films of the past year, the Marrakech International Film Festival — which kicks off this week — highlights the most important local talent too. Among them are Kamal Lazraq’s Hounds and Asmae El Moudir’s The Mother of All Lies — two big hitters at Cannes this year.
But before those films reach you, here’s a breakdown of the movies you need to catch first.
The entry point is… Casablanca Beats (2021)
The first Moroccan film to play in competition at the Cannes Film Festival since 1962 when it premiered, this vibrant, loud film about a collective of teenagers hatching a plan to stage a rap concert was well-received by critics. Directed by Nabil Ayouch and set in a school, the film used first-time actors, cast from an institute similar to the one in the film, and shot for 15 months to give the film an almost meta-documentary feel.
The one everyone’s seen is… The Blue Caftan (2022)
Officially the most successful contemporary Moroccan film at the global box office, selling over half a million tickets, this new feature from director Maryam Touzani wound up being a runaway hit when it debuted in cinemas in 2023. It tells the story of Mina, a woman who realises her husband, who runs a caftan shop in their home city of Salé, may be in love with his male apprentice. One of a handful of queer narratives from the area, this groundbreaking film was Morocco’s 2023 Oscar entry for Foreign Language Feature.
Necessary viewing? Wechma (1970)
Directed by Hamid Benani, this film is considered groundbreaking in Moroccan cinema history as it became one of the first to toy with an experimental structure, forgoing what was expected of movies at the time. The film starts by unpacking the tumultuous life of eight-year-old Messaoud, an orphan adopted by a farmer who puts him to work and treats him brutally. Later, we meet him again as a young man, and see the ramifications of that childhood mistreatment.
The under-appreciated gem is… Mille Mois (2003)
Faouzi Bensaïdi, a filmmaker whose acting work has transcended North Africa’s borders, gaining him a great reputation in France, made one of the most touching dramas about childhood innocence with Mille Mois, or A Thousand Months. Set in 1981 during Ramadan, it follows a woman taking her young son back to the home of her father-in-law during the holy month, after her husband becomes a political prisoner. In order to shield her son from her father’s situation, she tells him he’s on a work trip, and will be home soon. Faouzi’s work is being screened at Marrakech Film Festival.
The deep cut is… Trances (1981)
Now part of the esteemed Criterion Collection, this 80s documentary about the Casablanca avant-garde pop band Nass El Ghiwane is a treasured favourite of many directors, including die-hard fan Martin Scorsese, who called the group “the Rolling Stones of Africa”. Part-concert movie, part-guerrilla capturing of their wild career, it’s a relic of its genre. It also functions as a vital artefact of Moroccan art.