April 20. 2023 (in Person)
Facing the Unexpected
10:30 to 12:45
Argu
Omar Belkacemi, Algeria, 2021, 97 min
Yahya Laayouni, Bloomsburg University, PA
Koukou lives with his parents and siblings in the high mountains of Kabylia. Unapologetically different, Koukou is forced into a mental asylum by his father. When Mahmoud, the brother, returns from the city, he leads a fight for acceptance of Koukou in the family and community.
Seeds of Memory
Philos Belliti, Morocco, Short, documentary, 9 min
2:00 to 3:15
Invited speaker: Ellen Hernandez, Camden County College
When the Akrich Jewish cemetery owners in exile offered land for an fruit tree nursery, its faithful Muslim guardian, and the neighboring Achbarou Women’s Cooperative became leaders in a model for sustainable interfaith Morocco. A project of the High Atlas Foundation.
A young shepherd named Abdellah, living in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, must brave his father’s harsh authority and the snow to buy food and save his cattle. When he arrives in town, he meets the unexpected.
What if the Goats Die
Sofia Alaoui, Morocco, Short, sci-fi, 2020, 23 min
3:45- 4:45pm
Music Perfofrmance
Abderrahim Boutat
For an hour, our audience will enjoy a unique experience. Mr. Boutat will play Loutar a special musical insntrument specific to the Atlas region in Morocco.
5:30 to 7:45
Sound of Berberia
Tarik El Idrissi, Morocco, 2022, 90 min
Yahyaa Laayouni and Soubeika Wafa Bahri
Two young musicians want to travel across North Africa in a quest for the authentic sounds of the Berbers. On their journey, they meet an ambitious female journalist who convinces them to cross the desert to the Tuaregs in northern Mali, but her intentions are unclear. When they realize what they have found, it is too late.