Fez – The film “Rihlat Al Ajdad” (Journey of the Ancestors) by Moroccan director Ibrahim Khalil Ben Jaber won the Grand Prize at the fifth edition of the “Green March Through the Eyes of Young Image Makers” contest, organized by the Centre Cinématographique Marocain (CCM).
The award ceremony took place at Rabat’s Mohammed V Theater as part of Morocco’s 50th anniversary commemorations of the Green March.
The Jury Prize was awarded to “Sin Igharassen” by Yassine Iguenfer, while “Hikaya Maghribiya” (Moroccan Tale) by Mohamed Nadir earned the Best Talent award for creators under the age of 21.
The jury, led by Hakim Belabbes, director of ISMAC, included filmmaker Youssef Britel and CCM representative Sana Benmoussa. Twenty shortlisted films were reviewed before the final winners were selected.
Launched in 2021 by CCM in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, the competition invites Moroccan audiovisual creators aged 35 and under to revisit the Green March through fiction, animation, or archival montage.
It aims to transmit the patriotic and civic values of the historic 1975 event to younger generations.
The winning film “Rihlat Al Ajdad” was especially praised for its narrative depth and visual storytelling.
Organizers noted the contest’s role in encouraging new voices in Morocco’s film industry and in reinforcing cultural memory through cinema.
This year’s edition held symbolic weight, as it marked half a century since the Green March—a pivotal episode in Moroccan history that remains a cornerstone of national identity and territorial sovereignty. Through initiatives like this contest, Morocco continues to leverage the creative arts to honor its past and inspire future storytelling.
