Widen the Circle: An Obscure Experimentation in North African Avant-Garde Cinema by Ali Essafi traces the colonial history present in North African cinema through three films: Mémoire 14 [Memory 14] (1971), directed by Ahmed Bouanani; Mohammadia (1973), directed by Ahmed Bennys; and Combien je vous aime [How much I love you] (1985), directed by Azzedine Meddour. The essay offers insight into why these works have remained largely overlooked by local and international audiences.
About the Author
Ali Essafi studied Psychology in France. His directorial debut titled General, Here We Come! (Général, nous voilà!) (1997), a documentary about Moroccan veterans in the French army, was awarded the Special Jury Award at the Namur Film Festival.
About the Publisher
Sharjah Art Foundation hosts numerous activities and events throughout the year, from exhibitions featuring the work of Arab and international artists, live music and performances to film screenings and artist talks as well as extensive art education programmes for children, adults and families. Additionally, the Foundation has over the years published a range of books that include Sharjah Biennial and exhibition catalogues, books about the March Meetings and limited-edition artists’ publications.
