The second edition of The Maghreb Film Festival (MFF) was canceled due to corona. The films that Initiators and filmmakers Hakim and Karim Traïdia chose therefore largely remained in the can. June 18-20, 2021, the Traïdia brothers will present a modified edition: which will take place partly online and partly physically with films that fit seamlessly with the current global situation.
‘Freedom’ remains the theme and films are shown by makers from the Maghreb countries. The festival gives substance to a universal theme that is of all times, but has now acquired a very special extra charge due to the Covid situation, which the whole world, regardless of origin or location, has to deal with. ‘Freedom’ through the lens of the North African maker and other films that somehow have a link with the Maghreb.
The festival makes visible a lively (young) cinematographic tradition, characterized by the mutual influence of Maghreb and Europe.
The initiators of MFF are two brothers; Karim Traïdia, the Dutch-Algerian film director and scriptwriter, & Hakim Traïdia, better known as Hakim, theater artist and mime artist, who is known to the general (and especially the small) audience for his role in Sesame Street. Both were born in Besbes, Algeria and have been involved for years in coordinating and managing various Arab film festivals and workshops in the Maghreb, as well as directing and producing films.
For this edition of the Maghreb Film Festival, a number of feature films and shorter films are again selected, which have never or barely been screened in the Netherlands. These will be programmed in blocks. A large number of makers, actors and actresses will again be present during the festival to present their films and to discuss them with the public.
The discussions are organized by Dutch and non-Dutch filmmakers, journalists or experts in the field of film. Numerous filmmakers with Maghreb roots and various representatives from other film festivals in the Netherlands are invited to this Industry Meet-Up. Children and young people in Haarlem can once again become acquainted with Maghreb films, thanks to special screenings.
The festival ends with an awards ceremony. The 2021 festival is made possible by: Haella Foundation and volunteers.
For the previous editions, our thanks go to Stichting Gemeente Haarlem, J.C. Ruigrok Foundation, Circus Hakim, Corendon and many volunteers / team MFF
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