Cinema : 11th Dakhla International Film Festival
The 11th edition of the Dakhla International Film Festival will be held from June 2 to 8, 2023, in Dakhla. This year, sixteen African countries will be represented through their films.
By the editorial staff
The 11th Dakhla International Film Festival will take place from June 2 to 8, 2023, with the participation of leading figures from African, Arab and international cinema. It is organized by the Association pour l’animation culturelle et artistique des provinces du Sud, under the slogan « Dakhla, Gateway to Africa. » The event, which aims to assert the festival’s African identity, is intended to be an African and Arab film festival open to world cinema, according to a press release from the organizers.
The festival, which this year celebrates Angolan cinema, aims to open up to a wider audience
The Dakhla International Film Festival, which this year celebrates Angolan cinema, aims to open up to a wider audience through its various screenings and activities, says the press release.
This major film festival will see the participation of 16 African countries, namely Cameroon, Mauritius, Angola, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Uganda, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Union of the Comoros, Benin, Congo, Senegal, Somalia, Tunisia, Egypt, Mauritania and Morocco, according to the same source.
A jury chaired by Cameroonian writer Freida Ekotto
Ten feature films are in running in the official competition to win the festival’s prizes, namely the Grand Prix, the Jury Prize and the Best Actor and Best Actress prizes.
These films are: « Regarde les étoiles » by David Constantin (Mauritius), « Our Lady of chineese shop » by Ery Claver (Angola), « L’accord » by Léa Malle Frank Thierry (Cameroon), « Tembele » by Morris Mugisha (Uganda), « Amani » by Ahmed Toiouil (Union of the Comoros), « Mayouya » by Claudia Yaka (Congo), « L’esclave » by Abdelilah El Jouhari (Morocco), « The sons of the Lord » by Imene Ben Hassin (Tunisia), « La porte verte » by Raouf Abdelaziz (Egypt) and « Sahari-Slem wsaa » by Moulay Tayeb Bouhanana (Morocco).
Chaired by Cameroonian writer Freida Ekotto, head of the African Studies Department at the University of Michigan (USA), the jury for the festival’s official competition includes Quebec filmmaker and former Minister of Culture Maka Koto, Moroccan actress Sana Alaoui, American producer and costume designer Dana Scholdelmayer and Beninese director Sylvestre Amoussou.
In the short film competition, ten films are competing for the Jury Prize, the Best Screenplay Prize and the Best Director Prize. They include « En route » by Leslie To (Burkina Faso), « Twin lakes haven » by Philibert Aimée Mbabazi (Rwanda), « Astel » by Ramata Tolay Sy (Senegal), « Breaking ground » by Girihirwe Ines (Rwanda), « Quand mes parents viennent me voir » by Mo Harawe (Somalia), « Zoé » by Carmen Vivian Netto (Central African Republic), « Cicatrices » by Insaf Arafa (Tunisia), « Tsutsue » by Amartel Amar (Ghana) and the Moroccan films « Le Burqa » by Wahid Senouji and « Story » by Mohamed Bouhari. The short film jury, chaired by journalist and film critic Bilal Marmid, is made up of Egyptian writer and film critic Nahed Salah, Mauritanian director Amal Saad Bouh, Moroccan journalist Bakkar Dlimi and Tunisian editor Nadia Touijar.
Tributes to Moroccan actress Asmaa Khamlichi, Angolan director and producer Zézé Gamboa and Egyptian actress Rania Farid Chawky
Tributes will be paid to Moroccan actress Asmaa Khamlichi, Angolan director and producer Zézé Gamboa and Egyptian actress Rania Farid Chawky, as well as to the director of the Moroccan Office of Copyright, Dalal Mhamdi Alaoui.
The program also includes symposiums, debates and a book signing session, as well as screenings of the latest national film productions.
