Fez — Ahmed Abdel-Latif, Egypt’s ambassador to Morocco, attended a special screening of “El Sett” at the Cinémathèque Marocaine in Rabat, presented by the Egyptian Embassy in partnership with Morocco’s film institutions.
Speaking at the event, Abdel-Latif described it as “a wonderful evening in Rabat” dedicated to Umm Kulthum, and said he hopes it becomes “the start of a longer collaboration” in cinema between the two countries.
A Rabat screening with a Marrakech link
“El Sett” has a specific connection to Morocco because it held its world premiere at the Marrakech International Film Festival, according to the festival’s official program page.
Abdel-Latif highlighted that link in his remarks, saying the movie’s first global presentation in Marrakech gives it “a special link with Morocco,” before welcoming its screening again in Rabat through cooperation with the Cinémathèque Marocaine and the Moroccan Cinematographic Center.
What ‘El Sett’ is about
Directed by Marwan Hamed, “El Sett” is a biographical drama that traces Umm Kulthum’s rise from Egypt’s Nile Delta into an Arab cultural icon, including the sacrifices and social pressures that shaped her life and public image.
The film’s synopsis describes a journey marked by resistance to conservative constraints, a career built through discipline and endurance, and a voice that became a symbol for millions across generations.
Marking 50 years since Umm Kulthum’s death
The Rabat screening also comes as 2025 marks 50 years since Umm Kulthum’s death. She died on February 3, 1975, and remains one of the most influential singers in modern Arab history.
Abdel-Latif said the embassy wanted to mark the anniversary and also highlight Umm Kulthum’s personal connection with Morocco, and recalled her visits to Morocco, and overall appreciation of Moroccan culture.
The caftan reference
In one of the evening’s most talked-about lines, Abdel-Latif linked Umm Kulthum’s legacy to Moroccan dress culture, saying: “She sang with the caftan in Morocco.”
He framed it as one example of the “many links” that connect Egyptian and Moroccan cultural memory beyond music alone.
‘Cinema is a bridge’
Abdel-Latif argued that film can support diplomacy in a practical way, not only through official meetings but through shared stories and shared audiences. “Cinema and culture are very important to the strong bond between Egypt and Morocco,” he said.
With the Rabat screening, the embassy said it aims to deepen that bond through more joint cultural work, using cinema as a platform that can travel easily across borders while staying rooted in local history and identity.
