The 2025 Dublin International Film Festival Pays Tribute to Moroccan Cinema

Saturday 22 February 2025 - 11:36

The 2025 Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) celebrated Moroccan cinema this year as part of its "Country in Focus" program, highlighting the richness and dynamism of the Moroccan film industry. A high-level Moroccan delegation, led by Mr. Abdelaziz El Bouzdaini, Secretary General of the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, and Acting Director of the Moroccan Cinematographic Center (CCM), participated in this prestigious event. The delegation included the Minister of Culture's advisor, CCM representatives, as well as Moroccan filmmakers and producers, who came to showcase the best of Moroccan cinema.

The Moroccan Cinema Celebration, held at the Complex in Dublin, gathered filmmakers and professionals from the Irish film industry, along with representatives from Screen Ireland. The event provided a valuable opportunity to present a deep dive into Moroccan cinema, highlight case studies on Moroccan-Irish collaborations, and facilitate networking sessions between producers and directors from both countries.

In her opening speech, the Director of the Dublin International Film Festival warmly welcomed the participation of the Moroccan delegation, emphasizing the importance of intercultural collaboration in cinema. She highlighted the wealth of Morocco’s cinematic heritage, its growing role in the global film industry, and the strong potential for partnerships between Ireland and Morocco. Praising the presence of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture and prominent professionals from the Moroccan sector, the Director noted that this celebration of Moroccan cinema in Dublin represents a unique opportunity for enriching exchanges, meetings between professionals from both countries, and an opportunity to encourage filmmakers to actively engage, share their ideas, and explore co-production possibilities. She also reaffirmed the festival's commitment to strengthening international cinematic ties.

During his address, Mr. Abdelaziz El Bouzdaini emphasized the significance and uniqueness of Morocco as a top filming destination, pointing out the diversity of its landscapes and its ideal conditions for film productions. He mentioned the attractive incentives offered by the Kingdom, including tax rebates for international productions, as well as Morocco's experience in hosting major global film productions. He invited Irish film producers and professionals to seize the opportunities, infrastructure, and expertise Morocco offers for their filmmaking projects.

His Majesty King’s Ambassador to Ireland, Dr. Lahcen Mahraoui, who played a key role in facilitating Morocco’s participation in the festival, highlighted the richness of Morocco’s cinematic heritage, its world-class infrastructure, and the opportunities it offers to international filmmakers. He noted that the celebration of Moroccan cinema is a strong symbol of the growing cultural relations between Morocco and Ireland. Acknowledging Ireland’s deeply rooted cinematic tradition, the Ambassador called for further strengthening collaborations between the two countries, encouraging co-productions, talent exchanges, and strategic partnerships. He invited Irish filmmakers and producers to view Morocco not only as an exceptional filming location but also as a creative partner of choice.

The Ambassador also urged the Irish film industry to make this event a platform for solidifying the bonds between the two countries and paving the way for new and promising audiovisual collaborations.

Ms. Kate McColgan, Director of Television and representative of Screen Ireland at the event, emphasized the Irish side’s willingness to initiate a collaboration between Ireland and Morocco in this field. In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) proposal was submitted to the Irish side for review, which could serve as a solid foundation for encouraging exchanges and facilitating cooperation in the film sector.

The Moroccan Cinema Celebration program also featured a case study on the film The Boy Who Never Was, hosted by Irish design expert Philip Murphy. This session brought together representatives from the Irish production company Subotica, including Tristan Orpen Lynch and Aoife O’Sullivan, as well as Moroccan producer Hamid Herraf, representing the Moroccan production company 8 Herraf Productions, and Production Director Hannah Quinn. The discussions focused on their television series shot in Morocco and their experiences of collaborating with Moroccan partners. The Irish producers expressed their complete satisfaction with the expertise and professionalism of Morocco, which has made the Kingdom a globally recognized film destination.

Producer Khadija Alami (K Films) also led a presentation on shooting locations and production services in Morocco, showcasing the country's advantages, the diversity of its landscapes, its cinematic infrastructure, and opportunities for collaboration between Morocco and Ireland in the film and television sectors.

The day concluded with one-on-one meetings and networking sessions, providing both Irish and Moroccan film professionals the opportunity to share ideas and explore potential collaborations in a privileged setting.