• Senegal, Morocco resume talks on film co-production pact
• Countries seek revised agreement on training, distribution
• Partnership produced two internationally awarded films in 2025

Senegal and Morocco have resumed talks on their film industry partnership. On Sunday, Feb. 15, the director of the Moroccan Cinematographic Center, Reba Benjelloun, and Senegal's Secretary of State for Culture, Creative Industries and Historical Heritage, Bacary Sarr, explored options for revising their co-production agreement, a move that could deepen cultural cooperation between the two countries. The Senegalese Press Agency (APS) reported the talks in an official statement.

Morocco and Senegal signed a co-production agreement in 1992 aimed at strengthening cooperation between professionals from both countries, facilitating the making of joint films and granting them national production status.

As part of the revision, Dakar is prioritizing post-production, distribution mechanisms and training, and is proposing the establishment of a legal and technical body to improve efficiency. Sarr said that “the Moroccan model and experience in cinema are of particular interest to us.”

Morocco has proposed placing emphasis on the preservation of cinematographic heritage. Discussions also touched on signing a new agreement by 2027 to benefit young filmmakers.

A successful Morocco-Senegal partnership

Outside official channels, without the direct involvement of culture ministries or public bodies, film professionals from Senegal and Morocco are already working on co-productions.

This strategic cooperation, which emerged from the Atlas Workshops at the Marrakech International Film Festival, is bringing fresh momentum to contemporary cinema, according to Moroccan investigative outlet Le Desk, as cited by Seneplus.

“It is crucial to develop local skills so that Morocco becomes an indispensable player in the region. Morocco has competitive infrastructure and can offer attractive conditions for productions from the continent. If we strengthen our cooperation with other African countries, we can create a solid network for post-production,” said Julien Fouré, a French director and editor who co-leads Casablanca-based production and post-production company Free Monkeyz.

The partnership has yielded notable results in an increasingly competitive industry. It has produced two films that have received international critical recognition.

The short film “Ne réveillez pas l'enfant qui dort,” by Franco-Cameroonian director Kevin Aubert and shot across Senegal, France and Morocco, won the Special Prize of the International Jury for Best Short Film in the Generation 14plus section at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival in 2025. That same year, another film, “Wamè,” directed by Senegalese filmmaker Joseph Gaï Ramaka, won the Student Prize at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. The post-production of both films was completed in Casablanca.

The co-productions between Morocco and Senegal, with France as a supporting partner, show how their resources and talent complement each other, as well as a shared ambition to build a more autonomous African cinema network.

Ubrick F. Quenum