Moroccan Film "Zanka Contact" Removes Pro-Polisario Song After Censorship Dispute

The Moroccan Cinematographic Center (CCM) had decided to censor the feature film, because of a song by the singer and pro-Polisario activist Mariem Hassan. The body explained that this music was not in the initial script that was sent to it and for which a public subsidy of 4.2 million dirhams (389,000 euros) was granted.

Reacting to this decision, the Moroccan director of the film, Ismaël El Iraki, stated that the re-viewing, after a media controversy, made it possible to note a "betrayal of the text, the dialogue and the sound that had been predefined in the script of the authorized work."

He specified that "following the decision of the visa granting commission of the Moroccan Cinematographic Center (CCM) of October 20, 2022, we have already reedited a version of the film without this music which will be transmitted to the CCM as soon as it is finalized on October 21, 2022."

The film’s managers also explained that it was a misunderstanding that took on political proportions. "This choice is purely aesthetic and musical, the director simply chose to put the voice of a singer in the film and not a person nor in any case what she represents politically," they added. Recall that the film had nevertheless received the grand prize at the Tangier National Film Festival in September.