Fatshimetrie: When cinema disturbs and questions Moroccan society
The recent Marrakech International Film Festival was shaken by the screening of the film “Cabo Negro”, provoking reactions and reflections within Moroccan society. This cinematographic work, directed by Abdellah Taia, tells the story of two young men spending the summer on a beach in northern Morocco. For Taia, an openly homosexual Moroccan filmmaker, it was essential to highlight the reality of Moroccan gays through the prism of cinema.
This artistic decision did not fail to divide public opinion, some praising the courage and commitment of the director, while others questioned the legitimacy of dealing with homosexuality in Moroccan film productions. The cancellation of the question-and-answer session planned after the screening of the film illustrated the tensions present within the Moroccan film industry.
The Marrakech festival, a showcase for world cinema, aims to be a space of freedom and artistic tolerance. However, the confrontation between the progressive values advocated by this cultural event and the realities of censorship and economic constraints faced by Moroccan filmmakers highlights the challenges facing the cinema sector in Morocco.
While foreign films containing sex scenes can be screened without hindrance at the Marrakech festival, Moroccan cinema must deal with restrictions and political pressures. Homosexuality remains a taboo subject under the Moroccan penal code, placing limits on the freedom of expression of local artists.
The controversy sparked by “Cabo Negro” raises fundamental questions about the identity and mission of the Marrakech festival. Is it a prestigious event intended to attract international attention or an authentic platform to support and promote Moroccan cinema in all its diversity and complexity?
Faced with these challenges, it seems essential to reflect on the place of Moroccan cinema in the national and international cultural landscape. How to reconcile artistic freedom with legal and political constraints? How to offer a space of expression to local filmmakers while preserving Morocco’s identity and cultural values?
The screening of “Cabo Negro” and the debates that followed highlight the need to rethink cultural and artistic policies in Morocco. It is time to bring together the different sensibilities and worldviews present in Moroccan society, in order to build a plural, committed cinema that represents the diversity of this fascinating country.