Announced in September 2022 by representatives from several film festivals, the Union marocaine des festivals de cinéma (UMFC) held its first general assembly on January 7th in Rabat and elected its executive board.
Ben Younes Bahkani (director of the Saidia Film Festival) was elected president, Azzedine El Ouafi (director of the Cap Spartel Festival in Tangier) vice-president and Fatima Nouali (director of the Casablanca Arab Film Festival) Secretary General. The composition of the whole team can be found on the SNRT NEWS web-site.
There are nearly 75 film events in Morocco and one of the UMFC’s aims is to encourage discussion and cooperation between them. As its new president Ben Younes Bahkani explains in an interview with Atlas Info, “The Union will regulate relations between professionals, coordinate festival themes to avoid repetition and organize festival schedules better, all to help animate the film scene throughout the year across the different regions of the Kingdom.”
In its press release, the UMFC defines itself as a “force for suggestions” with local public administrations “to convince councils, elected officials and others concerned to accompany and support film festivals and events.” In this way the Union is hoping to strengthen the links between festivals and public institutions to facilitate cooperation and encourage subsidies.
Sources: Box Office Pro, le Matin, SNRT NEWS, Atlas Info
