Rabat – Moroccan-American documentary “The Bardia” was officially selected for this year’s Maryland film festival, Mountain film, and Morocco shorts international film festival.
The 20-minute long Moroccan-American co-production follows Amal Ahamri, leader of the Moroccan female Tbourida team in Kenitra.
The documentary narrates Ahamri’s journey to balance motherhood, career, and dreams. Following the birth of her second child, the Moroccan equestrian dedicated three years of her life to prepare for tbourida competitions, a traditional Moroccan equestrian performance.
The tbourida scene in Morocco is prominently male-dominated, leaving little room for women and much less for working mothers.
In this sense, the Bardia portrays “a story about courage, passion, and family,” the director Gabriella Garcia-Pardo wrote on May 2.
The documentary’s idea emerged from early conversations between the director Gabriella Garcia-Pardo and producer Gwyneth Talley that date back to 2015.
Inspired by their time in Morocco, Garcia-Padro and Talley decided to document the Ahamri’s incredible experience.
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Commenting on the creative process, the Bardia’s director said that “it was not easy and it took a long time. But I’m deeply glad that we finished something that’s true to Amal’s experience and our team’s own feelings of change and self-identification.”
The first screening of the Bardia occurred on the last day of the Maryland film festival at SNF Parkway theater in Baltimore. The theater hosted this year’s Maryland festival from April 27 to May 1.
The documentary’s next screening is scheduled for the Mountain film festival, expected to take place between May 27 and 30. We “have a few other screenings in the works,” the director added.
In December, UNESCO approved Morocco’s two-year-old submission to recognize Tbourida as the Kingdom’s intangible cultural heritage.
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