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The programme for the 24th edition of the International Animated Film Festival (FICAM 2026) is firmly centered on young audiences, while preserving the identity of an event that brings together animation enthusiasts, loyal festivalgoers, industry professionals, and newcomers alike. In step with the transformation of the cultural and creative industries in Morocco, Africa, and the Arab world, the festival, deeply rooted in its local environment, contributes to raising the international profile of the imperial city while supporting an emerging sector by opening pathways into careers in animated cinema.
Above all, FICAM is a festival for the wider community, not one confined to the French Institute alone. The event unfolds across several venues in Meknes and its surroundings, including Cinéma Camera, Cinéma Dawliz, the El Mennouni Cultural Complex, and even Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, while also extending to other cities across Morocco, as the institute’s deputy director, Fabrice Mongiat, pointed out.
After 24 years, FICAM has helped inspire many young people, some of whom have gone on to pursue careers in animated cinema. How has the festival succeeded in building loyalty among younger generations while continuing to attract professionals over the decades?
Bringing together these two audiences and participant profiles is one of FICAM’s core objectives. It is important for us to build loyalty among younger generations, particularly in Morocco, and that is precisely the value of the agreements signed between Moroccan animation studios and TV5MONDE. We have also developed a training component for 100 young people, with round tables, talks, speed meetings with filmmakers, in addition to artistic residencies. This entire ecosystem encourages the creation of a professional network built by newcomers and veterans alike. Many participants themselves have expressed the wish to return within this framework, which they particularly appreciate.
A major figure in animated cinema such as Michel Ocelot is highly sought after on the international festival circuit, but he rarely travels to festivals, whereas he often joins us in Meknes. He regularly honors us with his presence and with moments of exchange around his creations, some of which draw inspiration from Morocco. This year, he is presenting ‘Les Lapins 3 oreilles’ and ‘The Black Pharaoh, the Savage and the Princess,’ while also taking part in ‘Thé à la menthe avec…’.
The same goes for illustrator and director Pierre-Luc Granjon, who gave yesterday’s masterclass. Director André Kadi is taking part in FICAM’s Animated Film Careers Forum and is also presenting his film ‘Hola Frida,’ which won the audience award here. He himself expressed the wish to return.
We build loyalty among audiences and professionals, but we also strive to invite and spotlight creators attending for the first time, such as Zaven Najjar and Patrick Volve. This strengthens Morocco’s visibility within the world of animated cinema, since these artists continue speaking about Meknes and Morocco wherever they go. It also helps foster a network and synergy that, I hope, will endure with or without us. Ultimately, the idea is to give rise to concrete initiatives born from the FICAM universe and the encounters it makes possible, including co-productions and cooperation on an African scale, as was the case two years ago with the Moroccan Cinematographic Centre.
Beyond its roots in Fez-Meknes, FICAM has developed a national dimension alongside its links with other festivals such as the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. How is the event being rolled out across Morocco?
At the opening of this edition, Agnès Humruzian, director general of the French Institute of Morocco, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to FICAM through support for young professionals, but also through the festival’s nationwide reach and its engagement with audiences in more than 40 cities. There is also what has long been known as FICAM Morocco. It resonates across 11 cities, and this year six films from the programme have been selected to be screened at French Institutes throughout Morocco, in the presence of directors or producers.
Internationally, the most emblematic example of this reach, and of the host city’s influence, remains Azur & Asmar, in which Michel Ocelot brought to the screen his inspirations drawn from Meknes. Personally, after four years of attending Annecy, I can say that I have seen just how well known Meknes has become within African, European, and American animation circles.
This resonance has positioned FICAM as one of the largest, if not the largest, animation festivals in Africa, thanks to its DNA: creating vocations and enabling encounters between artists and audiences. It is rare to see an event of this scale capable of bringing together children and young audiences alongside professionals such as Ali Rguigue and Ali Lahrichi.
We continue to innovate in this direction every year, as we are doing in this 24th edition with speed meetings for students. Today, we can say that between 80 and 90 percent of young audience members discovered animated cinema through FICAM.
Beyond this edition, FICAM continues to build around youth, and the French Institute of Morocco’s current cultural season has made youth its guiding theme. What work is being done with Morocco’s Ministry of Culture to integrate the Youth Pass?
Through the Youth Pass, we are indeed offering access to many activities at the French Institute. This synergy with the Ministry of Culture exists nationwide, with each branch adapting it locally. It is a new initiative that still needs time to become fully rooted.
Our audience is the audience of the future. I believe culture is an important driver for young Moroccans. In Meknes, we work with many associations in this area, supporting groups of creators, particularly in hip-hop, as well as the Meknes urban music festival, which has now been running for 17 years, alongside training programmes and artistic residencies.
We also do this through projects involving local authorities, such as the 14th edition of the youth book event ‘La Cigogne Volubile,’ scheduled from June 8 to 13 in partnership with the city council, the prefectural council, the Directorate of National Education, the Chamber of Crafts, the Higher Institute of Traditional Arts, and the tourism administration.
So whether through FICAM or other initiatives, the idea is to develop unifying projects that allow both tourists and young people to come together in diversity, meet one another, and engage through culture. The festival is both a cross-cutting cultural vehicle and, increasingly, a professional springboard as well.
