March is marked by festivals, conferences, workshops and other events celebrating women. In March 2026, a film program is dedicated to female directors from North Africa.

A special film program titled Femmes cinéastes du Maghreb (Women Filmmakers from the Maghreb) will run from March 4 to March 9 at the Chaplin Denfert cinema in Paris to mark International Women’s Day on March 8.

The program features films by directors including Asmae El Moudir (The Mother of All Lies), Kaouther Ben Hania (Peau de colle, Beauty and the Dogs), Nadia Salem (Aucune rue ne portera ton nom), and Nassima Guessoum (10,949 Women). Each screening will be followed by moderated discussions.

The event was launched in 2009 by the Paris-based cultural association Coup de Soleil to promote Maghreb cinema among French-speaking audiences. This year’s edition pays tribute to two Tunisian directors, Kaouther Ben Hania and Salma Baccar.

The Franco-Arab film festival Le Maghreb des films is leading the initiative to highlight the role of women in a male-dominated industry. Drawing on the legacy of independence movements, filmmakers from North-West Africa have helped shape a post-colonial cinema that replaced an earlier industry largely controlled by foreign and male directors.

Pioneers of Maghreb cinema

Women filmmakers first emerged in the Maghreb in the late 1960s, about a decade after the rise of post-colonial cinema in the region.

In Tunisia, pioneers such as Sophie Ferchiou, the first Maghreb woman to direct a documentary with Chéchia (1966), and Salma Baccar, who directed the short film L’éveil (1968), opened the way for a generation of filmmakers addressing women’s status in a society shaped by progressive reforms introduced after independence in 1956.

Salma Baccar later directed Fatma 75, the first feature film by a woman from the Maghreb.

Asmae El Moudir, a pioneer of Moroccan filmmaking

In Algeria, Assia Djebar gained international recognition in 1978 with The Nouba of the Women of Mount Chenoua, which won an award at the Venice Film Festival. In Morocco, Farida Ben Lyazid directed A Door to the Sky in 1988, several years after writing her first screenplay.

Women still underrepresented

Women remain underrepresented in the African film industry, both in the Maghreb and in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to a report by Wifitalents titled Statistics of the African Film Industry, published in February 2026, female directors account for less than 15% of professionals in the Moroccan film sector. Across Africa, only about 10% of films are directed by women, who represent roughly 30% of the industry’s workforce.

Despite these disparities, women filmmakers continue to play an active role in shaping the Maghreb’s cinematic landscape. Tunisian directors in particular stand out for their influential contributions.

A new generation of filmmakers is emerging with ambitions for a more egalitarian future in the region, where debates over the role of Sharia law continue to influence social and cultural discussions.

Ubrick F. Quenum