Fez — Agadir is scheduled to host the 17th edition of the “Agadir International Documentary Film Festival” (FIDADOC) from June 19 to 24, bringing documentary cinema back to the city with a program focused on African, Arab, and Mediterranean storytelling.
Organized by the Association for Culture and Education through Audiovisual Media, the festival will feature 28 films from 16 production countries, according to organizers.
The program includes international premieres, special screenings, professional meetings, and an homage to the legacy of Egyptian cinema icon Youssef Chahine, whose influence continues to shape generations of filmmakers across the Arab world and Africa.
A Moroccan premiere from Midelt
One of this year’s main highlights will be the Moroccan premiere of Jérôme Le Maire’s new documentary, “Du Soleil et du plomb,” filmed in the Midelt region. The film will open the festival on Friday, June 19, in the presence of its protagonists, before a second screening on June 24.
The international competition will include nine feature-length documentaries. A jury composed of filmmakers Karima Saïdi from Morocco and Belgium, Nelson Makengo from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Aurélie Sfez from France will select the winners.
FIDADOC will also screen “Fatna, une femme nommée Rachid,” the latest stop in the film’s tour of Institut français du Maroc venues. The documentary will be shown at Cinema Sahara on June 21, then at Aït Melloul Central Prison, in the presence of director Hélène Harder and protagonist Fatna El Bouih.
Another major title in the program is “Qui vit encore,” the latest documentary by Nicolas Wadimoff, which gives voice to nine survivors of bombings in Gaza.
Honoring Youssef Chahine’s legacy
In partnership with Institut des Afriques, FIDADOC will mark the centenary of Youssef Chahine’s birth through restored film screenings, including “Le Caire raconté par Youssef Chahine,” presented by Marianne Khoury.
The tribute will also include a DJ set built around music from Chahine’s films and an immersive sound experience exploring his life and work.
The festival will further present a selection of short films by women artists from the Mediterranean, organized in partnership with Lieux Fictifs and the National Center for Visual Arts. Students from the Marseille School of Fine Arts and detainees from Baumettes Prison selected the works.
Supporting emerging documentary voices
Beyond screenings, FIDADOC remains a major platform for training and professional exchange through its “Ruche documentaire” (Documentary Beehive), a program that has supported emerging filmmakers since 2012.
This year’s edition will welcome nearly 100 young filmmakers, students, and project holders for workshops, case studies, master classes, and professional encounters. Franco-Egyptian filmmaker Namir Abdel Messeeh will lead one of the master classes.
The professional days will allow about 20 emerging authors to present their projects to Moroccan and international industry figures in Agadir.
