FICAM artistic director optimistic about future of animated cinema in Morocco

MEKNES - Mohamed Beyoud, Artistic Director of the Meknes International Animated Film Festival (FICAM) said he was optimistic about the future of animated cinema in Morocco.

“The answer is FICAM’s program that includes anime artists from Africa and the Arab world,” Beyoud told Middle East Online in an exclusive interview.

“Saleem” by Jordanian anime director Cynthia Madanat Sharaiha and “The Sacred Cave” by Cameroonian director Cyrille Masso were among the festival’s feature film projections. The two films were the first famine features of both directors.

Beyoud said that the aim of bringing the Jordanian and Cameroonian anime directors was to allow Moroccan artists to interact with them and exchange expertise.

“FICAM keeps inviting top anime directors and producers to inspire Moroccan artists and give them a chance to learn from animation techniques and skills that are being showcased throughout the festival,” said Beyoud.

FICAM has managed to attract the crème-de-la-crème of anime directors, namely Michel Ocelot, Bill Plympton, David Silverman and Isao Tahakata.

The extrovert artistic director said he draws inspiration from cultural and artistic events and festivals he attends, including Visa for Music, a performing arts festival and professional marketplace for contemporary music from Africa and the Middle East held in the Moroccan capital of Rabat.

“Visa for Music is for me a very good reference and source of inspiration although we do not work on the same artistic platform… we have the same passion,” said Beyoud.

FICAM created a forum of animated film jobs as part of its various activities to make students artists to directly network with production companies and experts.

“The end result of the forum is to structure an Arab and African animated film market,” he said.

The third edition of the Forum saw the number of production companies almost double from 10 last year to 19 from various African countries, which demonstrates the growing importance of FICAM in the animated cinema industry.

A member of FICAM’s organizing team said that this year’s edition was very productive and that the objectives had been met.

This is the first that the Forum hosted studios and production companies from Africa, including Tunisia, Egypt and Ivory Coast as the previous editions were exclusively for Moroccan studios.

Beyoud said that FICAM has moved to full gear to have and Arab and African animated film market.

“We are working hard to make FICAM one of the international venues to host avant-premieres,” he said, adding that there is a growing audience for animated films in Morocco.

“To see a packed theatre in Casablanca for the “Kung Fu Panda” film is a very good sign,” he said.

Beyoud said that FICAM has more financial and moral support from local authorities and the youth and culture ministry as the festival keep growing in size and fame.

“Local authorities, the Moroccan Cinematographic Centre and the ministry have been of great support to us, which gives us more motivation to make FICAM one of the best festivals in the world,” he said, concluding that the festival is thinking of having a focus on an Arab country in the upcoming editions.

FICAM, which is being held May 10-15 under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI and organised by the Aïcha Foundation in partnership with the French Institute of Meknes.