Abstract

Although the cinemas that developed in the three countries of the Maghreb—Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia—have separate histories, they also have much in common. Born after independence, in the 1960s, they have all had to rely on state support. Algerian cinema was a key propaganda force for the government in the 1970s and early 1980s, and Moroccan cinema’s recent growth is a response to increased government support. The influence of France, the former colonizing power, continues to be strong. The production context means that Maghrebian filmmakers of necessity have to be independent auteurs, responsible for every aspect of their films. Although there is a tradition of experimental work, the predominant style throughout the Maghreb has been some form of realism, dealing directly with the Arab world’s many social problems, especially gender relations, with an increased emphasis on the individual in films made since the 1980s. In all three countries, filmmaking has been strengthened by the emergence of a new generation born after independence, with a quarter of the younger filmmakers now being women. Maghrebian filmmakers have been slow to confront the challenges and fresh opportunities offered by the digital revolution in world media, but their work shows the growing impact of globalization and the African diaspora.

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