Friday, November 18, 2022 at 0:30 AM
Marrakech – Organized under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the 19th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival, which continues until November 19, this year places the spectators of tomorrow at the heart of its rich and diversified program , through screenings for children and high school students.
Proposed for the first time within the framework of the activities of the Festival, the “young audience” section sets itself the objective of raising awareness among the film lovers of tomorrow and introducing them to cinema, starting from the first experience of the dark room for the most children to screenings followed by exchanges for high school students.
Thus, four cinematographic productions appear on the menu of this section, namely “Dounia and the Princess of Aleppo” (Dounia and the Princess of Aleppo), “Hawa”, “The Pharaoh, the savage and the princess” (The Black Pharaoh , the Savage and the Princess) and Yuku and the Himalayan Flower.
Lasting 71 minutes, the animated film Dounia and the Princess of Aleppo by directors Marya Zarif and André Kadi, paints the portrait of “Dounia”, aged 6, who leaves Aleppo with some nigella seeds in the palm of the hand, and who, with the help of the Princess of Aleppo, makes the journey to a new world.
The latest film by French director Maïmouna Doucouré, “Hawa”, tells the story, in 104 minutes, of a 15-year-old girl, who lives alone with her seriously ill grandmother, and fears to be placed in another home by social services.
She then develops a plan: to be adopted by someone she admires more than anything, one of the most powerful women in the world. During her quest, she meets several personalities who will allow her to get closer to her dream.
The “young audience” section of the Festival also offers the film “The Pharaoh, the Savage and the Princess” by French director Michel Ocelot.
In 83 minutes, the film projects 3 tales, 3 eras, 3 universes: an epic from ancient Egypt, a medieval legend from Auvergne, an 18th century fantasy in Ottoman costumes and Turkish palaces, to be carried away by contrasting dreams, peopled with splendid gods, revolting tyrants, cheerful vigilantes, shrewd lovers, princes and princesses doing as they please – in an explosion of color.
The fourth film on the menu in this section reserved for young audiences is “Yuku and the Flower of the Himalayas” by directors Arnaud Demuynck and Rémi Durin.
With the voices of Lily Demuynck-Deydier and Agnès Jaoui, this 65-minute animated film tells the story of “Yuku” who goes in search of the flower of the “Himalayas” for the give her grandmother a plant with eternal light that lives on top of the highest mountains on earth.
The path that leads to this plant is long and strewn with obstacles: the terrible domain of sewer rats under the castle, the meadow with cruel and voracious crows, the enchanted forest where you get lost, and, above all, the bridge of fear guarded by the wolf! Thanks to his music and his songs, “Yuku” will make many friends, the most precious asset to succeed in the adventure of life.
