A dozen feature films representing 10 countries will be in the running to win the official competition prizes at the 23rd International Festival of African Cinema in Khouribga (FICAK), scheduled for May 6-13.
Under this cultural event, initiated under the high patronage of King Mohammed VI, Morocco and Cameroon will be represented by two films each. These are respectively “Jalaldin” by Hassan Benjelloun and “L’Oasis des eaux gelées” by Raouf Sebbahi, and “Sadrack” by Narcisse Wandi and “La Plantation des planteurs” by Dingha Jaune Eystein, specified the Foundation of FICAK, organizer of this event.
The other films in official competition are “I am chance” by Marc-Henri Wajnberg (Congo), “Streams” by Mehdi Hmili (Tunisia), “Epines du Sahel” by Boubakar Diallo (Burkina-Faso), “Citizen kwamen” by Yuhi Amuli (Rwanda), “B19” by Ahmed Abdalla (Egypt), “Shimoni” by Angela Wanjikuwamai (Kenya), “Le courage en plus” by Billy Touré & Laurent Chevallier (Guinea) and “Maputo Nakuzandza” by Ariadine Leitao Zampaulo (Mozambique).
The Grand Prix of the festival for the long narrative strip was baptized in the name of the Senegalese writer, director and screenwriter Ousmane Sembene, the Jury Prize in the name of Nour Eddine Saïl, the Directing Prize in the name of the Burkinabe filmmaker Idrissa Ouédraogo, the Screenplay Prize in the name of the Egyptian writer, journalist and film critic Samir Farid, the Prize for the first female role in the name of the Moroccan actress Amina Rachid and the Prize for the first male role in the name of Mohamed Bastaoui .
As for cultural prizes, two prizes will be awarded, namely, the “Don Quixote” Prize for Moroccan film clubs (National Federation of Film Clubs in Morocco) and the African Film Critics Prize.
FICAK, whose first edition dates back to 1977, is considered one of the oldest film festivals in Morocco and the third African film festival on a continental scale after those of Fespaco and Cartage.