The Film Industry in the Moroccan Sahara: Between Colonial Past and Developmental Future

Abstract:

Anyone who considers cinema merely a means of entertainment is mistaken, as it plays far more complex roles, including political and economic propaganda. This was something the French colonizer realized early on, filming dozens of movies in Morocco during the protectorate era, starting in 1919. These films, now called colonial films, frequently used the Moroccan Sahara as a favored setting for European directors seeking new imagery to attract European audiences while subtly justifying the colonial occupation. The result was a distorted portrayal of the Saharan region, its Moroccan inhabitants, and their deep-rooted customs.

While famous filmmakers have continued to shoot several of their films in semi-desert areas of post-independence Morocco, vast regions of the Moroccan Sahara have remained untouched by this artistic activity. Despite their unique natural and cultural features, this calls for serious consideration of creating a film industry in these southern provinces. These regions combine the scarcity and difficulty of natural resources with the rich and diverse Saharan heritage, which could provide the backdrop for global cinematic events and scenes.

Today, cinema can be a tool for promoting tourism to these southern provinces by introducing their landscapes and subsequently transforming them into global tourist destinations, thus fostering integrated and sustainable development, as seen in many previous global experiences. Additionally, it can market Saharan culture both domestically and internationally, recognizing it as an authentic Moroccan component that enriches the country's cultural diversity.

Research problem

Cinema is one of the most popular means of expression, but its roles go beyond the artistic aspect to enter into the core of propaganda and advertising means capable of creating promising development opportunities. This applies to the cinematic use of the Moroccan desert theme, which appeared in a number of colonial films for political purposes, but its use today It can offer real development opportunities.

- What is the historical context of cinematic interest in the Moroccan Sahara?

- How can cinema today become a lever for the development of the Moroccan Sahara?