11th mediterranean cinema festival opens in Tetouan

The Moroccan northern city of Tetouan is hosting since Saturday the 11th Mediterranean cinema festival dubbed "hopes and continuity."

Opening the festival, Morocco's culture and communication minister, Mohamed Achaari, said this event has become a major cultural encounter in Morocco, offering to the motion picture industry from the two shores of the Mediterranean an opportunity to meet, talk and exchange ideas and experience.

He said Morocco has instituted a tradition of cinema festivals, mentioning as an instance the holding next September of an international film festival in Marrakesh and the Mediterranean short movies festival in Tangiers in April 2002.

The festival director, Ahmed Al Hassani, said the event will pay homage to Moroccan actress, Naima Lamcharki, Egyptian actress, Leila Olwy, and film directors Cherif Arafa (Egypt)and Carlos Saora (Spain).

In addition to the official competition, the festival features conferences on the motion picture.