House of Representatives Adopts Government Bill on the Film Industry and the Reorganization of the Moroccan Cinematographic Center in Second Reading

The House of Representatives adopted on Monday, December 2, 2024, by a majority of votes Government Bill 18.23 on the film industry and the reorganization of the Moroccan Cinematographic Center, in a second reading. The adoption took place during a legislative plenary sitting chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Mohamed Sabbari, and attended by the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, and the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in Charge of Relations with the Parliament and Government Spokesperson, Mr. Mustapha Baïtas.

The amendments introduced by the House of Councilors covered Articles 2, 22, 51, and 78, as they introduced a new clause to Articles 2, 22, and 51 on the legal status towards the National Social Security Fund regarding the performance of the activity of film production. Concerning Article 78, the latter featured the addition of a new competence to the ones conferred to the Moroccan Cinematographic Center by entrusting it with the production, distribution, exploitation, import, export, publication, reproduction, selling, and renting of movies for its own account or for third parties.

The Bill aims to unify the main principles and rules of regulating the film industry and reorganizing the Moroccan Cinematographic Center in one text operating as the Code of Cinema. The Bill also aims to create a modern and advanced film industry based on good governance, equal opportunities, and transparency. 

This Bill grants the Moroccan Cinematographic Center new competences that will enable it to advance the film industry, promote Morocco as a filming destination, develop the film sector, and rationalize its management. The Bill also entrusts the center with implementing the state policy in the field of the film industry by supporting it, contributing to its development, proposing incentive measures for investors in this sector, supporting film production, encouraging foreign production in Morocco, and contributing to the promotion of the natural, cultural, architectural, and infrastructure assets of the Kingdom in order to make it a destination for film making and audiovisual production.

This legal text will also contribute to the preservation, maintenance, and valorization of the cinematic heritage through the restoration, digitalization, and facilitation of accessibility to film archives, in addition to supporting vocational training and continuing education in the film industry.