Casablanca – Moroccan filmmaker Tala Hadid is taking Morocco’s equestrian heritage to Doha, where her film “Bardi” will compete in the International Feature Film Competition at the 2026 Doha Film Festival.
The festival announced its 15-film competition lineup, bringing together filmmakers from across the Arab world, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
The selection includes both narrative films and documentaries, with “Bardi” representing a Moroccan story rooted in one of the country’s most recognizable traditions.
A closer look at Tbourida
At the heart of Bardi lies Tbourida, the Moroccan equestrian tradition that dates back to the 16th century.
The practice brings groups of horse riders together for choreographed performances that culminate in a synchronized gunpowder shot, celebrating horsemanship, coordination, and collective discipline.
Hadid turns her camera toward the farmers and workers of central Morocco who take part in this tradition.
Through Tbourida, they step into the roles of warriors and princes, moving between their everyday lives and the larger identities they embody on horseback.
The film combines documentary observation with elements of fiction, exploring how tradition shapes the way people see themselves and relate to their communities. Hadid captures the riders’ shared world through intimate portraits and expansive scenes across the Moroccan landscape.
From New York to Doha
“Bardi” already made its international debut at the 64th New York Film Festival, where it served as the centerpiece of the Currents section. The 2026 film runs for 109 minutes and features dialogue in Arabic and Greek.
Its selection for Doha gives the film another opportunity to reach international audiences and introduces viewers to a Moroccan tradition through Hadid’s distinctive cinematic perspective.
The 2026 Doha Film Festival will run from November 19-27. Its International Feature Film Competition will award prizes for Best Narrative, Best Documentary, Best Artistic Achievement, and Best Performance, with a total of USD 185,000 (Around MAD 1816738) across the four awards.
For Moroccan cinema, “Bardi” brings a deeply local tradition into an international competition, showing how a centuries-old practice can offer fresh perspectives on identity, community, and the stories people tell about themselves.
