chargement...
Winner of the Aïcha Grand Prize for Animation at FICAM 2025, Anas Belgazzar has found genuine encouragement for his creative work within the professional world of animation. Last year, he was recognized for his short film «Maison sans toit» («House Without a Roof»), which tells the story of Ahmed and his younger sister, whose family home is destroyed by war.
In a refugee camp, the two children are separated following another military attack, during which the little girl is abducted before Ahmed’s eyes. The boy is later taken in by a foster family, growing up burdened by the loss of his loved ones. Haunted by memories and guilt, he struggles to connect with a reality he cannot accept, unable to truly see his host family as his own while clinging to the hope of one day reuniting with his sister.
«The theme is close to my heart, especially as we are living through wars all over the world. Even if some territories are at war and others are not, the terror and suffering happening elsewhere still affect us. We relive them every time we open social media, without being able to change anything», he tells Yabiladi, revealing the empathy that shaped his creative process.
«I wanted to make a short film that reminds us these tragedies do not only happen to others, and that they can occur when we least expect them. It questions our helplessness in the face of so much terror, and our inability to grasp the true scale of these acts, which are unfortunately part of everyday life for many people among us.»
Photo: Abderrazzak Dounnajah
From the School of Fine Arts to animated cinema
Passionate about drawing since childhood, the Safi native never expected his projects would eventually lead him into animated filmmaking. Early on, he found himself more drawn to sketching than to theoretical classes. After earning his baccalaureate, he began searching for a school that would allow him to continue working through drawing.
«In the end, I was admitted to the School of Fine Arts in Casablanca. So I left my hometown for the first time to pursue my studies», the young artist recalls.
Trained in graphic design and creator of his very first animated short film, Belgazzar initially worked for communications agencies but struggled to find fulfillment in the assignments he was given. He eventually turned more seriously toward animation, without initially imagining he would one day become a professional director.
Supported by his school and his teachers, particularly Abderrazzak Dounnajah, Anas Belgazzar saw his project «Maison sans toit» selected for the GPAA. Following a competitive selection process, the film stood out among the other entries, earning him the 2025 Grand Prize.
«I was happily surprised to receive this recognition, which reassures me in my creative process and opens doors for me in the professional world», he says.
The quality of his work also earned him a residency with NEF Animation, the first professional French-speaking platform dedicated to writing for and about animation. He also received support from the Moroccan Cinematographic Center for animation professionals.
Toward new horizons in animation
As part of FICAM 2026, the young artist notably took part in «Génération FICAM®: the rising stars revealed by FICAM®», alongside Anne Le Normand of NEF Animation, Fabrice Mongiat, deputy director of the French Institute in Meknes, Widad Chraibi, director of FICAM and secretary-general of the Aïcha Foundation, Aziz Oumoussa and Anas Doujdid, two other GPAA laureates, as well as Mahi Arsène and Jihane Joypaul, artists in residence with Anas Belgazzar.
Photo: Abderrazzak Dounnajah
In this context, he reflected on how valuable it has been to interact with animation professionals from different backgrounds.
«It is very educational in itself, in my view, especially since, unlike other residents or artists, I was not trained in animation», he says. «By developing 3D and 2D drawing, and with the support of my teachers, I gradually entered this world, which I have found extremely enriching.»
Today, the artist appears fully in his element, surrounded by other festival laureates from the French-speaking animation writing residency. He also finds himself at the heart of a Grand Prize edition offering a «living panorama of a creative youth», through a retrospective celebrating 20 years of the GPAA and 10 years of the residency.
The initiative highlights the «journey of those who grew up with the festival and whose paths reflect the inspiration and creativity nurtured by FICAM», while opening the door to future artistic projects.
