This year's opening film is Casablanca Beats!
The opening film is Moroccos Oscar candidate, a delightful and energetic hiphop drama.
Arab Film Days is proud to present Casablanca Beats by Nabil Ayouch as the opening film of this year’s festival.
In addition to being Moroccos Oscar candidate, the film had its world premiere in competition at the 2021 film festival in Cannes, and has become very popular in its home country.
The festival opening takes place on March 16th at 17.30 in Vika 1. Festival films will be screened throughout the evening at Vika kino, and after the screening of Casablanca Beats we invite you to join us in the cinema's downstairs lobby for drinks and discussion.
Casablanca Beats follows the lives of a group of teenagers from Sidi Moumen, a poor suburb of Casablanca that is plagued by radicalism, unemployment and lack of hope for the future.
Former rapper Anas begins offering a hip hop-class at the local youth center, and lectures about how hip hop has been a central form of expression for marginalized groups in the USA, in the fight against social injustice. He encourages the teens to express their daily challenges through music and dance, and to take up the fight for freedom and equality in their local community. Casablanca Beats is a kind of Moroccan blend of 8 Mile and Fame – an energetic and engaging film, set to a terrific soundtrack of local hip hop.
The film is based on real events from the Sidi Moumen community, and can be seen as a youthful cry for change.
Arab Film Days has previously shown several of Ayouch's films, including Razzia (2017), Much Loved (2015) og Horses of God (2012).
Casablanca Beats will have a theatrical release on september 9th and is distributed by Ymer Media.