Rabat’s open-air cinema nights return with human rights focus

Rabat will once again host open-air cinema screenings after their unprecedented suspension in July, with the 13th edition of the “White Night of Cinema and Human Rights” scheduled for September 12 at the National Library square.

Organized by the Mediterranean Encounters of Cinema and Human Rights Association, this year’s event will feature films from Morocco, Palestine, Lebanon, Britain, Spain, Peru, and France.

The chosen theme, “Citizenship as a Lever for Access to Human Rights,” emphasizes active citizen participation at local, national, and international levels to achieve legitimate aspirations.

The festival, held for more than a decade, is supported by the Moroccan Cinema Center, the National Library, Mohammed V University, European cultural institutions, and UN bodies. It has previously showcased films from dozens of countries followed by debates.

Authorities this year requested the screenings be held inside the library rather than outdoors, but organizers insist the event’s essence lies in open-air viewings.