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Festival international de film de Marrakech (FIFM) For more details see http://www.festivalmarrakech.com. Try also Morocco’s second TV channel’s site, http://www.2m.tv.evasion/festivals. Launched in 2000, the FIFM is now the leading cinema festival in Africa, leaving older, more ‘third-worldist’ festivals like the FESPACO (Ouagadougou) and the JCC (Tunis) in the shade. Alongside the official selection of 10 films, the FIFM has a special Mawahib (talents) section. In 2003, the theme was ‘post’, as in Post-Apartheid, Post- War, etc. The big prize, the Etoile d’or, went to Bosnian director Zijad Mehic for Au feu. Most popular of all, however, was the special Bollywood section. Morocco is a big consumer of Hindi films – everyone understands namaste in Marrakech. The festival now seems set for the first weekend in October. Audiences mix Marrakech dignitaries and champagne socialists, palace officials and French arty-types, plus a sprinkling of would-be starlets from Casablanca. Opening and closing events (invitations only) are held in the Badi Palace. Most screenings are in the Cinéma Colisée, Guéliz and the Palais des Congrès, Av de France. Side events may be held in the Institut français, Route de Targa. A giant screen sometimes goes up on Jemaâ el Fna, much to médina residents’ delight.
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