Fez — Casablanca is preparing to host the fifth edition of the Casablanca International Independent Film Festival from May 1 to 6, providing a platform for independent filmmaking, critical debate, and artistic experimentation at a time when local cultural spaces are seeking to widen the horizons of cinema. 

The festival will take place across several venues in Casablanca and Mohammedia, bringing together film screenings, roundtables, workshops, and tributes in a format meant to move beyond standard commercial models.

The festival’s program reflects that ambition. Its international feature competition will include films from 14 countries, while the short-film competition will bring together 20 entries from across the global independent circuit. 

Documentary cinema will hold a central place in the edition, with a focus on stories rooted in social and human realities, alongside a dedicated space for young directors and students. 

Moroccan national production will also be featured through screenings of recent films that offer a snapshot of the country’s evolving cinema landscape.

Godard, documentary, and visual memory

This year’s edition will also turn part of its attention to French director Jean-Luc Godard, one of the defining figures of modern cinema and a co-founder of the French New Wave. 

The program will include a master class on anthropological documentary, designed to deepen participants’ practical and theoretical understanding of nonfiction filmmaking. 

An exhibition titled “Tisser l’existence” (Weaving existence) will explore the relationship between cinema and photography, while poetry-focused encounters pairing poets and filmmakers aim to open fresh dialogue between artistic forms.

The scheduled activities will be hosted at the Mohamed Zefzaf Cultural Center, the American Arts Center in Casablanca, and the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences of Mohammedia. 

The festival is being held with support from the Moroccan Cinematographic Center, the Maârif District Council, and the Mohammedia faculty, according to the organizers’ statement.