Casablanca – A new international film project is making its way to Morocco, as parts of “The Hourglass” are set to be filmed in the North African country in the coming weeks.
Before arriving in Morocco, production began in the Canary Islands and will later continue in Montreal, with filming scheduled to wrap by mid-May.
Directed by Canadian filmmaker Kim Nguyen, the film revisits the real-life story of Edith Blais and Luca Tacchetto, two travelers who were abducted in Mali and held captive for more than a year. The story will follow their time in captivity and the circumstances surrounding their escape.
The cast features Canadian actress Marine Johnson in the role of Edith Blais, alongside Italian actor Luca Colucci as Luca Tacchetto. Other names in the lineup include Diouc Koma, Mouloud Ayad, Marianne Fortier, and Jean Bui.
Morocco’s selection is not incidental. It reflects its ability to stand in for a range of settings, particularly desert landscapes similar to those where the real events took place. This visual adaptability makes it a suitable extension for scenes rooted in the Sahel region, where the story originally unfolded.
At the same time, the country’s established production ecosystem continues to support international shoots of this scale.
With “The Hourglass,” Morocco adds to a series of international productions filmed in Morocco, including “Gladiator,” “Kingdom of Heaven,” and “Game of Thrones.” The trend continues with “Last Flight,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which will partly be shot in Morocco alongside the UK and Jordan.
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