The Moroccan League of Young Journal Publishers organized an unprecedented press conference on Friday, May 16, 2025, at the Le Zénith hotel in Casablanca, in the presence of Spanish director and producer Maria Casado, marking a significant step in strengthening cultural and artistic relations between Morocco and Spain.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Mohamed Fajri, President of the League, welcomed the presence of the media and industry professionals, emphasizing the importance of such encounters in fostering sincere and lasting cultural diplomacy. “We deeply believe that culture and art are powerful tools for bringing people together and consolidating sincere human relations between Morocco and Spain, countries united by history, geography, and shared memory,” he said.
A filmmaker between memory, poetry, and commitment
Originally from Spain, Maria Casado is a multifaceted artist influenced by Mediterranean sensitivity, both visual and poetic. Her filmography is characterized by a double fidelity: to memory and social margins, through a demanding and humanist aesthetic. “Rachí,” her first short film, is a silent work narrated by flamenco, where the memory of war, motherhood, and the persecution of a Gypsy woman under Franco’s regime are intertwined. This project, although modest in its means, lays the foundation for a cinematic language based on visual symbolism and attention to the forgotten of history.
“Zanbaq,” her subsequent feature film, explores the tensions between beauty and denunciation, drawing inspiration from the symmetry of Wes Anderson, the poetics of Bachelard, and the elegant pain of Paolo Sorrentino’s cinema. The film evokes the story of trafficking – goods, emotions, silences – as a metaphor for collective unspoken, with scenes shot in particular in the Alhambra, and a limited budget but intact artistic ambition.
“Tariq,” currently in production, is the project that brings her to Morocco today. Shot between the two shores of the Mediterranean, particularly in Marrakech, Fez, and Laâyoune, this film explores the human and emotional trajectories of those who move between worlds, between shores. “Morocco is not just a backdrop. It is a full-fledged character, with its visual, spiritual, and human richness. This film wants to show a pluralist, contemporary, and living Morocco, far from clichés, seen with respect, curiosity, and love.”
A land of cinema, coveted for its light and landscapes
Maria Casado expressed her enthusiasm for filming in Morocco, answering a question about the growing interest of international productions in this territory: “It is entirely logical that filmmakers from around the world want to shoot here. Morocco is a visually fascinating country, with warm and precious light, varied landscapes, and a unique artistic energy.” She hopes that Tariq will also be the start of an authentic Moroccan-Spanish co-production: “It’s not about making a Spanish film in Morocco, but a film from both countries, carried by Moroccan actors and technicians, written, thought, and produced together. We have already sown the first seeds of this collaboration.”
A woman’s voice that crosses the Mediterranean
This press conference marks a symbolic moment: Maria Casado becomes the first Spanish female director to officially present her work in Morocco. She considers this a gesture of trust, respect, and openness, hoping it will inspire other female filmmakers to cross the sea with courage and vision.
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