"We are asked to make films with a phone and courage."
— An independent director based in Rabat.
In recent months, voices have multiplied in the Moroccan cultural world. Producers, actors, directors, and technicians are denouncing a gradual suffocation of independent creation, particularly due to the decline in funding from the Moroccan Cinematographic Center (CCM) and new restrictions on outdoor shoots.
Suspended shoots, abandoned festivals
According to several artists contacted by Chronexium, multiple projects have been abruptly halted, sometimes without explanation.
In Casablanca, an independent team reports waiting over six months to obtain a filming permit, before giving up.
The same situation is found in Marrakech and Ouarzazate, where local productions have been deemed "non-priority".
At the same time, several regional festivals have seen their budgets shrink, leaving hundreds of artists without a platform. The Meknès festival and the Larache festival were canceled or postponed due to lack of financial support.
A bureaucracy deemed "out of touch"
The CCM, accused of favoring large foreign productions, struggles to meet the needs of local creators.
"We are not asking for millions, just for transparency and real listening," explains a producer based in Tangier.
Dozens of filmmakers claim that their funding applications remain "stuck without reason," while others receive rejections that are "cut-and-paste."
Artists mobilize online
In response to the official silence, a counterattack is being organized on social media.
Under the hashtags #VoicelessArtists and #CultureInDanger, actors, musicians, and photographers are sharing their testimonies.
Some even discuss the idea of a collective independent from the CCM, through crowdfunding or streaming platforms.
"Culture is not a luxury. It’s a mirror. And this mirror is broken."
A vital sector under threat
The cultural sector represents over 80,000 direct and indirect jobs in Morocco.
However, due to a lack of resources, implicit censorship, and the absence of distribution spaces, many artists are contemplating exile or career changes.
If the situation persists, it is a whole creative generation that risks disappearing into indifference.
