Rabat – The 22nd Meknes International Festival of Animated Cinema (FICAM) opened its inaugural session this past Friday at the city’s historic Cinema Camera theater. 

Celebrating its 22nd edition, FICAM honors this year the legacy of Moroccan animation pioneers Bill Plympton and Hamid Semlali. From seasoned animators to budding talents, the festival serves as a melting pot where diverse individuals come together to celebrate their passion for animation.

Running from May 10 to 15 under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, FICAM is supported by the Aïcha Foundation in collaboration with the French Institute of Meknes.

Headquartered at the French Institute, the eventextends to venues across the “Nouvelle Ville” and “Old Medina,” including the historic Cinema Camera theater, Dar Jamaï museum, and Dar Lakbira.

 The honorees of the event, Semlali gained recognition for his iconic advertisement for a canned Sardine brand in the 1980s, while Plympton is known for his Academy Award nominated short, “Your Face” (1987), as well as his collaborations with artists such as Kanye West, and Weird Al Yankovic. 

In an interview with Morocco World News, FICAM director Mohamed Beyoud expressed the festival’s mission to acquaint Moroccan audiences with cinema beyond the mainstream. Beyoud says FICAM aims to create a platform where people of all ages can immerse themselves in global art and interact with artists worldwide. 

Emphasizing its commitment to nurturing a passion for cinema, particularly among Moroccan youth, he says the festival empowers them to explore animation and cultivate their own artistic talents from an early age.

FICAM provides numerous avenues for hands-on engagement with the craft, offering workshops, discussions, and studio stands where attendees can interact directly with animation studios in the Animated Films Career forum. As is tradition every year,FICAM will host a short film contest to discover and showcase young talent in Morocco.

However, in its inaugural event, FICAM will put on the “PanAfrican Workshop,” spearheaded by Film Producer, Sébastien Onomo, and Special Touch Studios. These workshops cover professional and artistic techniques in 2D and 3D animation, as well as video game and graphic novel art.

This year’s program has a special focus on Italian animation, highlighted by the presence of Alessandro Rak, who will host a master class focused on his first feature animation “L’Art du Bonheur.” The festival will also feature director Gianluigi Toccafondo and composer Andrea Martignoni, who will reveal the secrets of their soundtrack process.