Culture

The Moroccan entertainment world is in mourning. Mustapha Zaari, an iconic actor of theater and television, passed away on Tuesday in Casablanca at the age of 79.
Known for his great versatility, Mustapha Zaari marked the public with his both comical and dramatic interpretations. It was on the stage, where he had been evolving for more than fifty years, that he truly shone.
His beginnings in theater saw him collaborate with the greatest names of the Moroccan scene. In 1973, he made his (…)

Moroccan artist Karima Gouit was sentenced to two months in prison by the court of first instance in Marrakech for insulting a security agent at Marrakech-Menara airport.
This conviction follows an incident that occurred on April 18, during which the artist allegedly insulted an airport agent. Arrested by the police, she had been presented to the public prosecutor and placed on provisional release on bail of 5,000 dirhams.
The court finally decided to sentence her to a prison sentence (…)

During the screening of a film at the Marrakech International Film Festival, spectators did not hesitate to leave the cinema because of a gay scene.
On the web, a video from the Marrakech International Film Festival is causing controversy and arousing the anger of the population. In this video, we see several spectators leaving a cinema during the screening of a film after the representation of a homosexual relationship in one of the scenes. The scene shows two men lying next to each (…)

Suspected of being involved in a "human trafficking" case, the Casablanca YouTuber Reda Bouzidi, known by the pseudonym "Oueld Chinwiya", will soon be informed of his fate.
On Friday, the court of first instance of Aïn Sebaâ, in Casablanca, postponed to December 2 the examination of the case of the Casablanca YouTuber Reda Bouzidi, known by the pseudonym "Oueld Chinwiya", favorably responding to the request of the lawyer who has recently agreed to defend the accused. A request motivated (…)

In "Rabia", the French, Belgian and German dramatic film by director Mareike Engelhardt on female radicalization released at the end of November, Belgian actress Lubna Azabal plays Madame, the Moroccan Fatiha Mejjati alias Oum Adam. Who is this woman nicknamed the "Black Widow of Al-Qaeda" who had led several women’s houses of the Islamic State in Raqqa, Syria.
Fatiha Mejjati was a leading figure of Daesh. But nothing predestined her to this. "After a privileged youth in Casablanca and (…)

A candidate in the first season of "Love is Blind UK", Maria Benkhermaz, 31, marked viewers with her sincere quest for love. Of Moroccan origin, this makeup artist and eyelash technician aspired to a traditional relationship. Her goal? To find a man who would know how to protect her and take care of her, a "provider" as she herself describes it.
In the show, Maria forged strong bonds with two men: Ollie Sutherland and Tom Stroud, a 38-year-old public relations consultant. While she was (…)

The city of Marrakech is preparing to host the 21st edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival, which opens its doors today. A significant security system has been put in place to ensure the smooth running of the event.
According to a source cited by Hespress, the Moroccan authorities have reinforced security around the festival’s key venues, such as the Palais des Congrès and the hotels where the many expected personalities will be staying.
Additional police patrols have been (…)

Morocco is taking radical measures to protect its cultural heritage. A new draft law provides for severe sanctions for those who attack historical treasures. Ten years in prison and a fine of 200,000 dirhams, this is the high price to pay for offenders.
This draft law, approved by the government, gives citizens and associations a real legal arsenal. Any citizen can now alert the authorities to observed infractions. Cultural heritage protection associations can even join civil proceedings (…)

Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner and his partner Luthna Plocus will host the French version of the reality TV show "Love is Blind" on Netflix. The couple will host this adaptation of the successful American program, which will be broadcast in 2025 and is currently in production in Morocco.
In "Love is Blind", single men and women meet in isolated "pods", without seeing each other. They get to know each other only by voice and can propose marriage before even discovering each other (…)

Moroccan actress Souad Saber, an iconic figure of Moroccan cinema and television, has announced her withdrawal from the Moroccan artistic scene.
The actress states that this decision is motivated by her desire to preserve her dignity and respect the legacy she has built throughout her career. The actress also mentioned the difficulties encountered by aging Moroccan artists, including the sometimes unfair treatment by certain producers and directors.
Souad Saber took this video (…)