Shafaq News – Morocco
Morocco has been selected as the“Country in Focus” for the 76th European Film Market (EFM), scheduled to takeplace from February 12 to 18, 2026, as part of the Berlin International FilmFestival.
Market organizers described Moroccoas a dynamic bridge between Africa, the Arab world, and Europe, noting that itsrich cinematic heritage, acclaimed filmmakers, and thriving creative scene havelong positioned it as a major contributor to global cinema. Morocco’sparticipation in the Berlinale stretches back decades, with its stories andtalent regularly featured in festival and market programs.
Since its launch in 2017, the EFM’s“Country in Focus” initiative has showcased key film regions worldwide topromote cross-cultural exchange and industry partnerships. Following Mexico,Canada, Norway, Chile, the Baltic States, Italy, and Spain, the 2026 editionwill highlight Morocco’s cinema sector, aiming to expand cooperation amongproducers, distributors, investors, and creators across genres, includingdrama, documentary, and animation.
Festival Director Tricia Tuttle underlinedMoroccan cinema as having “a proud history of storytelling that resonates farbeyond its borders.” She noted that filmmakers such as Nabil Ayouch, FaouziBensaïdi, Asmae El Moudir, Halima Ouardiri, and Maryam Touzani, alongside a newgeneration of directors, bring “distinctive perspectives to the Berlinale andto festivals worldwide.” Their work, she added, “draws on deep cultural rootswhile addressing contemporary issues with originality and power.”
Morocco has also emerged as anattractive hub for international film production, offering diverse natural andurban settings—from the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert to the historiccities of Marrakech, Ouarzazate, and Casablanca. The country’s film sectorbenefits from a 30-percent cash rebate for foreign productions, officialco-production agreements, and development initiatives such as “Ateliers del’Atlas,” which support Moroccan and regional talent.
Berlinale Pro Director TanjaMeissner emphasized that the Moroccan film and media landscape “has reached anew level of international visibility,” combining a strong national cinema withopenness to global collaboration. She pointed to the country’s “high productionvalue, skilled professionals, and distinctive locations,” which have madeMorocco “one of the most compelling focus countries in recent years.”
Centre Cinématographique Marocain(CCM) Director Mohammad-Reda Benjelloun highlighted Morocco as “a land ofhistory and storytellers,” adding that its skilled professionals and vibrantenergy have secured “a prominent place on the world cinema map.” He called theBerlinale recognition “a testament to how culture and coexistence nurture anart form and a language that have become truly universal: cinema.”
Credit: Independent journalist andreporter Mansour Jahani
Hence then, the article about morocco named country in focus at 76th berlinale efm was published today ( ) and is available on SHAFAQ NEWS ( Iraq ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Morocco named “Country in Focus” at 76th Berlinale EFM )
Also on site :
- I Thought My Daughter Was a Good Kid, but a Certain Habit of Hers Disturbs Me
- The 2025 Billboard K-Pop Artist 100
- ‘It’s all because of Putin’: RT drops Christmas song spoof (AI VIDEO)
