13th National Film Festival of Tangier Kicks off

The start of the 13th National Film Festival of Tangier, held from January 12 to 21, was given Thursday evening by the film "The Moon" by French director Georges Méliès.

The opening ceremony, which was attended by the Minister of Communication, government spokesman Mustapha El Khalfi, the Wali of the region, the chairman of the city and personalities from the arts and culture, was marked by moving tributes rendered to three emblematic figures who have left their mark on Moroccan cinema: the famous actor Salahddin Benmoussa and directors Mostafa Derkaoui and Abdellah Mesabahi.

On this occasion, the president of the jury for feature films competition French sociologist Edgar Morin emphasized the quality of Moroccan cinema, reviewing "the development of national cinema in its past and present."

Twenty three feature films and twenty three short ones are vying for this festival’s prizes.