Brief history of Moroccan cinema
The history of Moroccan cinema began in 1897, when the Lumière brothers and their operators travelled the globe in search of new images. It was Louis Lumière himself who directed The Moroccan Goatherd, the first film shot in Morocco. Thereafter, the Moroccan film industry was managed by the French colonial power until the country's independence. Local production was strongly muzzled by these restrictions and by the censorship imposed by the occupying power. It is therefore necessary to wait until 1958 to discover the first (almost) Moroccan feature film, Le Fils maudit, by Mohamed Ousfour. A little nugget of cinema that seems to come from another time, but that will inspire a whole generation of Moroccan filmmakers. Nevertheless, it would take a few more years for the cinema to go beyond the national borders. Films such as Alyam Alyam (1978) and Transes (1981) by director Ahmed El Maânouni contributed to this notoriety. The latter will even be restored in the early 2000s, presented by Martin Scorsese himself at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007.
Since the beginning of the 2000s, the Moroccan film industry has been revitalized. Films such as Tarfaya by Daoud Aoulad Syad (2004), The Fifth String by Selma Bargach (2011), Hayat by Raouf Sebbahi (2017) or Casablanca Beats by Nabil Ayouch (2021) have been praised by critics and awarded in major African, European and American festivals. A real inspiration for young national filmmakers, also carried by other established artists who are launching themselves into the cinema. Like the writer Youssef Fadel, who in 2014 is working on his first film, Agadir Express, shot mostly in the eponymous city.
From Ouarzazate to Agadir via Marrakech, prestigious filming locations
European cinema was invited to Agadir as early as 1934 with the shooting of the film Le Grand Jeu, a family drama by Belgian director Jacques Feyder. At the end of the 1940s, it was Orson Welles' turn to set his camera in the Moroccan city for Othello, which he shot between Morocco and Venice. One of his best films, where the man-orchestra produces, directs and plays the main role in this Shakespearean tragedy. Heading north, we discover in the Dades Gorge some of the greatest Hollywood filming locations. From Steven Spielberg to David Lean, the filmmaker behind the fascinating Lawrence of Arabia, you will find in this region a multitude of cinematographic references, as well as dedicated tours that will delight your cinephile eyes. In 2000, Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) was filmed in Morocco, at the renowned Atlas Corporation Studios. You can also discover, nearby, the ksar of Ait-ben-Haddou where some of the scenes of the film with Russel Crowe were shot, and many extras hired on the spot, putting the region on the map of ideal shooting locations for productions. This fortified village had already been, in a completely different style, the setting for parts of the film The Nile Diamond (1985) with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. Since 2000, it has also appeared in scenes from Sex and the City 2, even closer to us.
Among other notable films that have made a stop in the region, French-Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb's Indigènes (2006) was shot largely near Ouarzazate, with significant financial and logistical support from Morocco. This drama about the participation of indigenous soldiers in the Second World War within the French army was a hit when it was released, thanks in particular to its cast of big names such as Jamel Debbouze, Samy Naceri, Roschdy Zem or Sami Bouajila.
In Marrakech, you can follow in the footsteps of Alfred Hitchcock, who filmed in the city the remake of his own 1934 film adaptation, The Man Who Knew Too Much. Released in 1956, this film is a cross between a spy thriller and a thriller, a genre so dear to the master of English suspense, and features Ben (James Stewart) and Jo (Doris Day) caught up in a spy case while spending a few days in Morocco with their son Hank. Even though this film was shot over sixty years ago, you will easily recognize the Jemaâ el-Fna square, the Koutoubia or the Saadian tombs and the Bab Agnaou and Doukkala, which are still impressive. The atmosphere is no longer cold war, however, and so much the better, because the muggy pressure that is felt in the film, beautifully directed by the English filmmaker, is not adequate for a relaxing tourist stay.
With its millennia-old architecture and ageless landscapes, the region has long been a magnet for historical films, peplums and epic dramas. Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), shot entirely in Morocco, between Meknes, the Grand Atlas and Marrakech, is one such film. Willem Dafoe plays Jesus, while Harvey Keitel, one of the director's favorite actors, appears as Judas. And in 1999, it is The Mummy with Brendan Fraser who uses Marrakech and the desert expanses of the region to represent Egypt.
From the theaters and festivals
Beyond the Marrakech Film Festival, one of the biggest events in the region, you can also discover new films and exclusives at the Agadir Film and Migration Festival. As it prepares for its twentieth edition in 2023, the festival continues to show documentaries and fictions on a theme that is always topical, putting immigrant filmmakers from around the world in the spotlight each year. Conferences, debates and exhibitions are also organized, a real must for those who are interested in these issues and these topics of cinema. And if you're simply looking for some entertainment, the newly renovated Sahara cinema will be happy to welcome you for a relaxing moment in front of a Moroccan or international film.
