It’s been more than two weeks that the 28th edition of the Rabat International Author Film Festival ended, but this year’s edition is still being applauded in many film quarters across the globe.
In spite of the uncertainties in the Middle East occasioned by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the Rabat film fest still held successfully amidst huge participation and quality films between November 10 and 17th, 2023.
The International Jury of the festival gave the biggest prize at the closing ceremony to ‘La Nuit Du Verre D’eau’ (Mother Valley) by Lebanese director, Carlos Chahine, while the Jury of the Internationsl Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) awarded their prize to ‘Drift’ by the Singaporean-born director, Anthony Chen.
Former Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism Arts & Culture and Publisher of The Culture Newspaper, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, served on the FIPRESCI Jury at the festival globally acknowledged for promoting authorship in filmmaking.
The success of the festival was well captured in the closing ceremony speech by the festival director, Dr.Malak Al-Dahmuni.
The petit but intellectually loaded festival director served on the screening committee of the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) in October.
Last year, she welcomed to the festival Jury a Nigerian producer and film festival director, Mr. Michael Parish.
“My speech this evening,” she told the full house of guests and movie goers at the closing ceremony “are about the feelings and sentiments that dominated my conscience as the date of each session of this festival approached.
“Let me tell you a secret that a few days before the start of the festival, I felt a state of anxiety and tension, mainly due to a hidden desire within myself to make this edition a success and to obtain the satisfaction of the audience and those following the activities of this festival. A hidden feeling to appear at a high and good level, recalling the artistic history of the festival and its main role in introducing Morocco’s heritage, peoples’ civilizations and their culture.
“As the days of the festival went by, this feeling began to dissipate in the face of the splendor of the scene that the festival creates for its fans and guests, a scene made even more beautiful by the amount of love, giving, and coexistence that brings together all those coming to this festival.
When I tour film halls and find an audience of all age groups thirsty to watch films, I am filled with overwhelming joy that the festival has achieved its goals of enlightening the Moroccan public and bringing it closer to the cultures of other peoples. When I interview and host actors and artists of different nationalities, I find them expressing their admiration for the civilization and heritage of Morocco, and they stand amazed by the hospitality and generosity of the Moroccan person, when all the fatigue disappears and is replaced by a feeling of pride and pride that we, as Moroccans, each in his position, are able to advance our country and we can contribute, even if only a little, to the development and progress of our country. It ranks among the developed countries”.
“Before concluding, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all members of the technical and organizational management for the professionalism with which they worked to make this course a success, and in particular to mention: Mohamed Mouad Shahban, Hicham Issa, Radi, in collaboration with Iman and Hanaa; Fadwa Al-Azizi and Iman Al-Daoudi among several others.
