SCREEN AFRICA
The Euromed Audiovisual III Programme of the European Union in collaboration with the European Audiovisual Observatory has just published a report on the film and audiovisual sector in Morocco [only available in French]. This report follows an earlier report on Egypt [only available in French] published in 2012 and is the second of a series of monographs prepared in the context of data collection on the audiovisual sector in the nine partner countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, the occupied Palestinian Territories and Tunisia).
According to the Ambassador E. Landaburu, “those monograph reports are not meant to help evaluate national film and audiovisual systems nor to provide recommendations, but to offer valuable information enabling professionals in the countries in question and Europe to have a better understanding of the situation in order to facilitate regional partnerships”.
This report provides a comprehensive overview of the various economic aspects of the audiovisual sector in Morocco (television, on-demand services) as well as of the film sector, and also provides a description of the institutional and regulatory framework and of telecommunication infrastructures (DTT, IPTV, broadband networks, mobile telephone). It provides data on the different aspects of the sector and draws on information collected from public bodies, professional organizations, private sources and the press.
Following the most recent decisions announced in January 2013, the Moroccan film agency (Centre cinématographique marocain – CCM) established two commissions to support film festivals and to contribute to the modernisation and digitisation of cinemas. Furthermore the Ministry of Communication has announced the creation of a web portal dedicated to project submission. It aims at ensuring greater transparency between public distributors and independent production companies.
Wolfgang Closs, executive director of the European Audiovisual Observatory, explained that “this report has already made a positive impact. It has enabled the Executive Council of the Observatory to be aware of the tremendous work achieved by the Moroccan authorities to improve transparency in the sector and face the challenges of digitixation. Remarkable progress was made, especially with regards to film data collected. Last November, our Executive Council agreed to the accession of Morocco to the Observatory. This procedure should be completed in the course of 2013 with a decision by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe”.
Euromed Audiovisuel will present the report on Morocco at the 19th edition of the International Festival of Mediterranean Cinema in Tetouan, on 29 March 2013 in the framework of the colloquium “Coproduction in the Mediterranean area”.
Reports on Morocco, Egypt and Lebanon were prepared by Dr Sahar Ali, Euromed Audiovisual III expert, under the supervision of André Lange, head of the Department for Information on Markets and Financing (European Audiovisual Observatory, Council of Europe, Strasbourg).
They are available on both organisations’ websites:
Euromed Audiovisual III: http://www.euromedaudiovisuel.net
European Audiovisual Observatory: http://www.obs.coe.int/
