Morocco summons Iraq envoy over Sulaimani film screening: SIFF
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Morocco government has reportedly summoned Iraq’s ambassador to the country to express their protest about the screening of a film at the Slemani International Film Festival (SIFF).
Danar Omer, SIFF artistic director, said Ambassador Ziyad Khalid Abd Ali had been summoned in Rabat to answer for the screening of the documentary 3 Stolen Cameras.
"The Iraqi ambassador contacted me about this, saying that the movie was banned and asked why we had showcased it,” Omer told Rudaw.
“We said we are unaware of that issue, but it is a documentary film and its showcasing is normal,” he said.
The film is a joint Sweden-Western Sahara project from Ibtihal Alaloul and Ailla Brahim.
“This is a story about breaking an absolute censorship with unique footage from an area where the Moroccan authorities have managed to implement a near total media blockade,” reads the synopsis provided by SIFF.
Western Sahara is a sparsely populated, mainly desert area on the west coast of Africa, situated between Morocco and Mauritania. It was annexed by Morocco in 1975.
The Polisario Front of the native Sahawari people led a 16-year-long insurgency against Rabat that ended when the United Nations brokered a truce in 1991.
The truce promised a referendum on independence, but that has never taken place.
Morocco exerts strict control over entry into and movement within the region.
In 3 Stolen Cameras, the filmmakers fight to keep their cameras running in the region. The film won the award for best documentary movie at SIFF this week.
At time of publication, Morocco had not commented on the matter.
Danar Omer, SIFF artistic director, said Ambassador Ziyad Khalid Abd Ali had been summoned in Rabat to answer for the screening of the documentary 3 Stolen Cameras.
"The Iraqi ambassador contacted me about this, saying that the movie was banned and asked why we had showcased it,” Omer told Rudaw.
“We said we are unaware of that issue, but it is a documentary film and its showcasing is normal,” he said.
The film is a joint Sweden-Western Sahara project from Ibtihal Alaloul and Ailla Brahim.
“This is a story about breaking an absolute censorship with unique footage from an area where the Moroccan authorities have managed to implement a near total media blockade,” reads the synopsis provided by SIFF.
Western Sahara is a sparsely populated, mainly desert area on the west coast of Africa, situated between Morocco and Mauritania. It was annexed by Morocco in 1975.
The Polisario Front of the native Sahawari people led a 16-year-long insurgency against Rabat that ended when the United Nations brokered a truce in 1991.
The truce promised a referendum on independence, but that has never taken place.
Morocco exerts strict control over entry into and movement within the region.
In 3 Stolen Cameras, the filmmakers fight to keep their cameras running in the region. The film won the award for best documentary movie at SIFF this week.
At time of publication, Morocco had not commented on the matter.
3 Stolen Cameras - TRAILER from RåFILM on Vimeo.