Six Moroccan films received Fall 2024 grants from the Doha Film Institute (DFI). This cycle of funding includes 47 film projects from 23 countries, according to Morocco’s Press Agency (MAP).
The selected projects span multiple genres, including narrative and documentary films, experimental works, and serialized content.
In the Feature Narrative (Production Stage) category, “Tarfaia” (Morocco, France, Belgium, Qatar), directed by Sofia Alaoui, explores a mysterious epidemic that causes deep sleep in a remote Moroccan town. A devoted doctor fights to save her community and the man she loves.
The Feature Documentary (Development Stage) category, “And Still I Rise” (Morocco, France, Qatar), directed by Djanis Bouzyani, is about Aravane Rézaï, a former world-renowned tennis player who once held the 14th spot globally. Despite her disdain for the sport, she plans a comeback after 13 years away.
For Feature Documentary (Editing Stage), “Women of Sin” (Morocco, France, Qatar), directed by Noufissa Chara, tells the story of Karima Nadir and her organization Kif Mama and Kif Baba, as they fight for gender equality in Morocco.
In the Short Narrative (Production Stage) category, “Finding Oppo” (Morocco, France, Qatar), directed by Youssef Michraf, follows a teenager forced by his father to confront a boy who stole his phone. Also in this category, “When Fire Burned the Sun” (Morocco, Qatar), directed by Yassine Wahrani, follows Sami and Nour as they relive memories of working at a high-tech factory after its abrupt closure.
From outside the Middle East and North Africa region, the Feature Documentary (Editing Stage) category includes “Fatna, A Woman Called Rachid” (Morocco, France, Belgium, Qatar), directed by Helene Harder, which explores Morocco’s national archives.
The DFI grants program is one of the region’s most significant film development initiatives, supporting debut filmmakers and seasoned directors worldwide.
Since its inception, DFI has helped bring over 850 projects to completion, from initial concepts to full cinematic realization.
“Over the years, DFI Grants have enabled the script-to-screen journey of over 850 important projects in cinema from across the world, that has contributed to the advancement of cinema and the empowerment of underrepresented voices,” DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said.