Wilaya of Smara, Nov 20, 2018 (SPS) - The second edition of the National Short Film Festival "Festival of the Dunes" was inaugurated on Monday in the wilaya of Samara under the slogan "Cinema as a means of struggle" where eight short films by Saharawi filmmakers will compete.
The cultural act has witnessed the participation of the Minister of Water and Environment, Mr. Brahim Mojtar, attended on behalf of the SADR Government, the General Secretary of the Wilaya of Smara, Ms. Azza Babbih and several cadres of the SADR and POLISARIO, as well as foreign delegations and interested citizens.
During the opening ceremony, the General Secretary of the Wilaya of Smara, Mrs. Azza Babbih welcomed the guests, highlighting the efforts of the National Film School that thanks to its work celebrates the current edition, appealing to use the art as means to spread the national cause and the suffering of the Sahrawi under Moroccan occupation.
For his part, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture, Mr. Ehmudi Labsir, said that cinema, besides being a means of communication, represents a form of expression to reflect and disseminate the reality of the Saharawi people.
Ehmudi pointed out that with the cinema, in addition to defending the Sahrawi cause, it is a means to transmit the Saharawi resistance struggle and also to unmask the crimes and violations committed by the Moroccan occupation against the Sahrawis.
He has also stressed the need to further develop the national film work and diversify its fields.
The event was an opportunity to pay tribute to his companion Mamia Salek who died among the victims of the collapse of the Algerian military plane earlier this year in the Algerian city of Boufarik.
During the days of the festival, debate workshops on Saharawi cinematography will be organized and the short films participating in this edition will be screened. SPS
125/090/TRA