The Minister of Culture, Othman El Ferdaous, announced that his department will implement measures to strengthen the resilience of cinemas, strongly impacted by the Covid-19 crisis. An envelope of 10 million dirhams will be devoted to the activity support program.
The Cinema industry is facing a major crisis due to the total cessation of activity since the start of the coronavirus in Morocco. To boost activity, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Othman El Ferdaous, has drawn up a plan dedicated to supporting cinemas, still excluded from the post-containment recovery.
Two main measures were presented by El Ferdaous, namely the assumption of certain fixed costs of cinemas incurred over the four-month period from March to June 2020 and which could not be amortized due to the crisis sanitation, and the payment to operators of an exceptional premium for the reopening of rooms, equivalent to one month of turnover to support the resumption of activity, conditioned on compliance with sanitary standards and the commitment to keep the room open at least 18 months. The first payment, of 50%, will take place upon signature of agreements by the parties concerned, the second three months after reopening.
A cultural mediator
“Whatever their economic, artisanal or network model, cinemas constitute an important cultural mediator for territorial equity and for the maintenance of the last legal commercial outlet for national cinematographic production, so that Moroccan films meet the Moroccan public” announced the Minister. According to the minister’s announcements, the Moroccan Cinematographic Center (CCM) paid from more than 6.5 million dirhams from April to June, in particular for the benefit of more than 11 national projects. cinematographic production, including 450,000 dirhams for the digitization of a cinema in Tangier.
El Ferdaous adds that to cover certain expenses incurred by festivals and cinematographic events canceled due to the consequences of the health crisis, the Ministry of Culture will mobilize an envelope of 2 million dirhams. These festivals bring small rooms to life and play a key role in maintaining a niche cinema (documentaries, short films, etc.).
The Minister concluded that “a communication campaign is planned to raise awareness among citizens about the resumption of activity in cinemas and the promotion of national cinema”. No date has been announced for the reopening of movie theaters.
–
