7th art and national cause: Bir Mezoui opens the debate

10th edition of the Social Cinema Festival in Khouribga Exchanges: The 10th edition of the Social Cinema Festival, scheduled from 29 to 31 October 2026, in the commune of Bir Mezoui, Khouribga province, will this year pay tribute to actress Fatima Boujou. Among the highlights of this edition is an intellectual meeting dedicated to the theme «Moroccan cinema in the service of the national cause», which will bring together academics, researchers and professionals of the seventh art around the links between cinema, memory, history and identity. Scheduled for 31 October 2026 from 10 am at the Agricultural Technical Institute, this meeting will bring together Mohamed Mekdoum, local writer and head of the Historical Memory Space of Resistance and Liberation in Oued Zem, director and journalist Jbir Moujahid, researcher Mustapha El Fadi, as well as researcher-director Alaeddine Kharraz, president of the Ibn Tofaïl University film club in Kénitra. The various interventions will make it possible to examine the place occupied by the national cause in Moroccan cinema and the way in which the seventh art has, through experiences and works, contributed to translating on screen dimensions related to identity, collective memory, a sense of belonging and attachment to the territory. The discussions will also focus on the representation of the Moroccan Sahara in cinematographic creation. Participants will, in this context, be interested in the artistic and cultural potential of this area, its history and heritage, as well as its traditions, cultural expressions and landscapes. The objective is notably to reflect on the possibilities offered by cinema to tell human stories inspired by this environment and to highlight its various cultural and heritage components. Beyond the analysis of existing works, this meeting aims to open a space for reflection on the relationship between cinema and the national cause, as well as on ways to give greater visibility to this theme in cultural and cinematographic spaces, both in Morocco and internationally. It will also address the issue of transmitting memory and national values to younger generations through various artistic creation media. The debates should thus allow researchers, filmmakers and professionals in the sector to cross-reference their views on the development prospects of this theme in Moroccan cinema, while questioning the means of further enhancing the historical, cultural and human dimensions linked to the Moroccan Sahara through images. Through this programme, the Social Cinema Festival intends to strengthen the place of the seventh art in local cultural animation and promote greater proximity between cinema and the public. The event also constitutes a meeting space for professionals, young talents and cinema enthusiasts, around works and themes dealing with contemporary social and cultural realities. Over its editions, the festival thus aims to contribute to the dissemination of cinematographic culture, the encouragement of young creators and the creation of exchange spaces around the seventh art. By bringing cinematographic works closer to local populations and fostering dialogue between creators, researchers and the public, it also intends to participate in the cultural animation of the territory and the promotion of culture as a vector for awareness, dialogue and local development. Placed under the sign of actress Fatima Boujou, this 10th edition is organised in partnership with the commune of Bir Mezoui, with the support of the Moroccan Cinematographic Centre and the OCP Group, and in collaboration with the provincial directorate of culture. It offers a diversified programme including a short film competition, signing sessions for new publications, a master class, tributes, workshops as well as several parallel activities.. Get the latest news from Aujourd’hui Le Maroc directly on WhatsApp