Women in cinema honoured at Salé festival

2009-10-02

A Moroccan film festival is giving prominence to women while re-invigorating the city's cinemas.

By Siham Ali for Magharebia in Salé – 02/10/09

[Siham Ali] Women and women's issues are centre stage this week at the Salé International Women's Film Festival.

The Salé International Women's Film Festival opened on Monday (September 28th) with a vibrant homage to female actors and filmmakers. The festival, which runs through Saturday, will present films either made by women or focusing on women's issues.

The event, now in its third year, has taken the extra step of inviting all Salé residents to watch the films for free. The move seems to have paid off, as many in the town have taken advantage of the opportunity.

Noureddine Chmaou, who chairs both the festival and the Bouregreg Association that organises the event, said that this year's screenings aim to provide a stage that reflects women's hopes and concerns.

"The event highlights those women who have helped to promote the audiovisual sector, and particularly film," he said.

Egyptian actress Ilham Chachine told Magharebia that the idea of putting women at the centre of a film festival is an original one in the Arab world.

"I've been involved in a number of festivals all over the world," she said. "It's the first time I've been to a film event that revolves around women. As an actress who stands up in defence of women in every role I play, I can only welcome this initiative."

Moroccan artists were proud that the organisation chose this theme for this year's festival. Director Laila Kilani said it will promote artistic works among women.

"It will help to encourage women to put themselves forward and give the best of themselves," she said.

"This is a serious recognition of the journey made by a group of female directors who have worked and fought for the promotion of the film industry in Morocco," said young Moroccan filmmaker Imane Mesbahi.

The Bouregreg Association "hopes to link Salé's image with its ambition to become once more the city that promotes human and cultural values of quality, innovation, openness, dialogue and tolerance", the group said in a press statement.

The people of Salé have welcomed the festival, as it has led to a local cinematic renaissance. Several cinemas have closed in recent years, which may account for the festival's disappointing attendance last year. For this year's event, the Bouregreg Association put together the money to renovate the Hollywood Cinema, where the majority of the festival's films will be shown. Salé residents also hope that the Dawliz multi-screen cinema will re-open its doors.

Salé's mayor, Noureddine Iazrek, has promised to increase the number of film venues and to guarantee the festival's future in the city, in addition to endowing Salé with a rich variety of cultural and artistic venues.

City dwellers would like to see the new mayor's promises become a reality.

"Since being elected a few months ago, the new Salé [mayor] has been promising to restore the city's culture," said student Hatim Minbari. "We hope these promises will be kept, so that Salé can rediscover the soul it lost long ago."