This tribute which brought together at the Théâtre d’Angoulême film buffs and great stars of the French-speaking 7th art, like the actress Nathalie Baye or the actress and director Kristin Scott Thomas who chairs the jury of this edition, marks the kickoff of a special program, honoring Morocco, “land of cinema and filming” which continues to stand out for its ability to inspire international film productions.
To solemnly symbolize this celebration, the national flag was raised in the morning at the town hall in the presence of the mayor of Angoulême Xavier Bonnefont, the two general delegates of the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival (FFA), Marie-France Brière and Dominique Besnehard, as well as the president of the National Museum Foundation and president of the Franco-Moroccan Friendship Circle, Mehdi Qotbi.
Invited to testify on stage, alongside Moroccan filmmaker Nabil Ayouch, about Moroccan cinematographic and artistic dynamics, Mr. Qotbi said he was “very happy and honored” to take part in this tribute to Morocco and its culture “to which His Majesty King Mohammed VI has given major priority to the point that the Kingdom is cited today as an example.
The one who had already exhibited as a painter in Angoulême almost 40 years ago expressed his pride at seeing the Moroccan artistic scene in general put in the spotlight this year on the occasion of its festival of French-speaking film, “a large-scale event which highlights the talents of our great filmmakers”, citing in particular the tribute to the late photographer Leila Alaoui through an exhibition of a selection of her works “imbued with sensitivity and depth”, organized in collaboration with the Arab World Institute (IMA).
A regular at the festival, director Nabil Ayouch said, for his part, he was delighted to meet the FFA audience again, inviting festival-goers to come in large numbers to discover the different works screened as part of his retrospective of emblematic films of Moroccan cinema.
“Moroccan cinema is growing, becoming more and more beautiful with a young generation that is pushing, without forgetting the nuggets of cinema from the 60s and 80s, some of which will be shown here,” he explained in a statement to the MAP, on the sidelines of the ceremony.
The director, who will himself see several of his works screened on this occasion, finds it “formidable” that the Angoulême festival “finally pays homage to Moroccan cinematography as a whole.”
The retrospective dedicated to national cinema includes the screening of several films since the very first Moroccan feature film “Fils Maudit” by Mohamed Ousfour.
Among the films in the selection, there are notably “Le Grand Voyage” by Ismaël Ferroukhi, “Ali Zaoua, prince de la rue” by Nabil Ayouch, “Marock” by Leila Marrakchi and “Adam” by Maryam Touzani, also present in as a member of the jury chaired by Kristin Scott Thomas.
FFA d’Angoulême 2024 also offers, “in world premiere”, the feature film “La Damnée” by Abel Danan, as well as the documentary “Of some events without meaning” by Mustapha Derkaoui.
In total, more than sixty films will be presented during this 17th edition of the FFA, including ten in competition and around fifteen in preview.
“Everybody Loves Touda” screened by “Cannes Première”, by Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch, will be screened in preview, as will the comedy “A l’Ancienne” by Hervé Mimran, or “Le Choix du pianiste”, directed by Jacques Otmezguine.
In parallel with the tribute to Moroccan cinema, the Angoulême Town Hall is setting up a “Moroccan Market” in the city, inviting festival-goers to “enjoy the authenticity and charm of Moroccan craftsmanship”, with basketwork on the menu. , pottery, jewelry, argan oil, caftans, tea room and henna tattoo workshops.
Created in 2008 and dedicated to French-speaking cinema, the FFA is held in the city of Angoulême, in Charente in the southwest of France.
Every year, at the end of summer, it establishes itself as the unmissable event of the cultural return to France.