Venice: Morocco has been honored at the Venice Production Bridge during the 82nd Venice Film Festival, reflecting the growing international recognition of Moroccan cinema and its global reach. This distinction brings together an important Moroccan delegation of institutions and industry professionals, led by the Director of the Moroccan Cinematographic Center (CCM), Mohamed Reda Benjelloun.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, alongside the United Kingdom and Chile, Morocco’s recognition underscores a collective ambition to strengthen professional partnerships in major international markets. It aligns with the international promotion strategy spearheaded by the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication and the CCM, in accordance with the Vision of HM King Mohammed VI, and is in step with ongoing efforts in co-production, distribution, and the promotion of emerging talents in Moroccan cinema.
As part of this participation, Moroccan cinema will be showcased in the main highlights of the Venice Production Bridge, notably the “Venice Gap-Financing Market,” dedicated to projects seeking funding. Three Moroccan feature films have been selected: Tarfaya by Sofia Alaoui, The Black Pearl by Ayoub Qanir, and The Missing Camel by Cheikh N’Diaye. Additionally, the “Final Cut in Venice,” focusing on post-production films from Africa and the Middle East, will feature the Moroccan project Out of School (La Cour des Grands) by Hind Bensari.
The program also includes the world premiere screening of Calle M¡laga by Maryam Touzani in the Spotlight Section. Furthermore, the CCM has set up a promotional space within the Venice Production Bridge film market and is organizing three panels on themes such as “Incentives and Opportunities- Cash Rebate Program,” “Co-production, Step by Step Process,” and “When Moroccan Animation Shapes Global Imaginary – A Cultural Treasure to Share.”
The 82nd Venice Film Festival opened Wednesday evening, rolling out the Lido’s red carpet for the world’s cinema elite, including George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Werner Herzog, Paolo Sorrentino, and American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola.