Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech are hosting, until October 27, the African Young Women in Action (AYWA) residency, which brings together ten young female directors from the five subregions of the African continent for an unprecedented creative journey.
Launched by the Tamayouz Cinéma Foundation and UNESCO, in partnership with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Story School, La Prod, Digital Factory, and Intelcia, and supported by the People’s Republic of China, this residency has, since September 15, been accompanying a new generation of African women filmmakers. It embodies a dynamic movement for creativity and the visibility of talent from across the continent.
Over six weeks, these emerging talents are developing, shooting, and post-producing their short films under the guidance of internationally renowned experts. The program offers both an artistic and human immersion where each film becomes a piece of a collective puzzle — a pan-African anthology series ready to captivate global audiences.
With participants from Namibia, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Liberia, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco, AYWA provides these creators with a demanding professional environment.
By bringing together African female filmmakers around a common narrative thread rooted in Morocco, the organizers aim to showcase African storytelling on the international stage while celebrating the diversity of women’s perspectives.
The residency will conclude on October 27 at the Moroccan Cinematheque in Rabat with the premiere screening of the ten residents’ original works, followed by a networking event bringing together producers, broadcasters, platforms, festivals, and institutional partners, according to FAAPA.