Casablanca Calling

Can a group of women leaders change Morocco?

Directed by Rosa Rogers | Associate producer Hilary Durman

Casablanca Calling is the story of a quiet social revolution in Morocco. In a country where over 60% of women have never been to school, a new generation of women have started work as official Muslim leaders. They are called Morchidat or spiritual guides.

Casablanca Calling follows three Morchidat – Hannane, Bouchra and Karima – as they set out to change their country, starting at street level. The Morchidat have a mission: to teach an Islam based on compassion, tolerance and equality, and to separate its true teachings from prejudice, misinterpretation and misunderstanding. Their work takes them into mosques, schools, homes, orphanages, prisons, and out in the countryside. They support the education of women and girls’; campaign against early marriage; and encourage young people to build a better Morocco, rather than dreaming of life in the West.

Casablanca Calling is an intimate portrait of three Morchidat, a society in transition, and a mission to educate a nation.

Screenings

FIDADOC, Agadir, Morocco – April 30th, 2014: www.fidadoc.org
DOXA Documentary Film festival, Vancouver, Canada – May 11th, 2014: www.doxafestival.ca
East End Film Festival, London, UK – June 18th, 8.30 pm: www.eastendfilmfestival.com

For clips, to see the gallery and to find out more about the project and the team, go to Casablanca Calling’s website.

You can also watch producer Hilary Durman talk about her experiences producing Casablanca Calling in our WorldView Director Exclusive.