We are pleased to announce the forthcoming eighth annual presentation of the AMAZIGH FILM FESTIVAL, a project of the Tazzla Institute for Cultural Diversity. Our mission, since the day of its inception in 2008, has been to showcase indigenous North African Amazigh films, actors, directors, producers, and artists in the United States.
The AMAZIGH FILM FESTIVAL was officially trademarked in the United States this year. After traveling to New York in 2013, it returned to Los Angeles in December 2014, at the Ford Theatre of the Autry Museum in Griffith Park. This Fall, it will be presented on Saturday, September 24th, from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Marran Theater of Lesley University, 34 Mellen St, Cambridge, Ma. 02138. The festival will be hosted by the Amazigh Cultural Network in America (A.C.N.A.) in collaboration with the Tazzla Institute for Cultural Diversity. This year, a generous contribution from the BMCE Bank Foundation headed by Dr. Leila Meziane Benjelloun, has made the festival possible.
The Festival will open with a series of documentaries on the Tuaregs of Mali and Niger, “Sahara” (Amazigh Video Productions, 2016) and “Lost Art of the Sahara”, (Bradshaw Foundation, 2009); a short 10 minute 2016 film from Canary Islands Imazighen , titled “Aman” (Water) produced by Estrella Monterrey, and a couple of outstanding
productions from Algeria , “Berbers of Djurjura” by Hacene Zenia (2008) and “Souls in Exile” (2006) by Said Nanache.
Every year, the festival has been supported by Dounia Benjelloun and her Moroccan film production companies, Sand Hills Productions, and Dounia Productions, Ltd. and every year, the festival has screened one of her documentaries. In 2008, the festival opened with “Amazigh Rebirth” directed by Jacques Renoir.
This year again the AMAZIGH FILM FESTIVAL will present one of the 2016 documentaries realized by Dounia, “Amazigh Women in Music” as a Premiere event in the United States. One of the several Dounia Productions Ltd 2016 documentaries awarded prizes in international competition, this 26 minute unique film has been the recipient of numerous awards. It illustrates the talents of diverse Amazigh women of the mountains and south of Morocco to reveal their important role in the maintenance of Amazigh identity and culture.
Alongside these films, another Moroccan documentary will also be presented as a Premiere in the U.S., produced by a young woman of the Middle Atlas, Ithri Irhoudane , a superb award winning entry titled “Dream Weavers” ( 52 minutes) – Finally, to conclude the program offered during this Eighth Annual Amazigh Film Festival, we will screen the highly regarded film produced by Mr. Mohamed Amin Benamraoui in 2013, “Adios Carmen” (Morocco – 104 minutes) – Live music will close the event.
We cordially invite you to attend this year’s exceptional Amazigh Film Festival USA in Boston. For additional information or any question, please contact Zouhir Az, President, A.C.N.A., Boston at (857) – 277- 2681 or Helene Hagan at [email protected]
By Helene E. Hagan
President, Tazzla Institute for Cultural Diversity
Executive Director, Amazigh Film Festival Los Angeles, New York, Boston.
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