Perils and Promise of Moroccan Cinema

Kevin Dwyer is an anthropologist and the author of Moroccan Dialogues: Anthropology in Question (1982), Arab Voices: The Human Rights Debate in the Middle East (1991), and Beyond Casablanca: M.A. Tazi and the Adventure of Moroccan Cinema (2004), as well as articles on anthropological theory; human rights; and Moroccan cinema, society, and culture.

“The Perils and Promise of Moroccan Cinema provides an interdisciplinary reading of Moroccan cinema as both art and social practice. The book’s strength lies in integrating historical, political, and anthropological perspectives without losing focus on cinema as an art form. It also expands the methodological possibilities for studying cinema by showing how anthropological tools can enter into dialogue with film and media studies.” (Idriss Benkacem and Youssef Boutahar, Global South Literary Studies, March 16, 2026)

• Chapter 1: Introduction: an anthropologist explores Moroccan cinema.- Part I: Moroccan Cinema into the 21st Century.- Chapter 2: Moroccan Cinema in its Regional Context(2000).- Chapter 3: Moroccan Cinema: probing a paradox(2000-2006).- Part II: Conversations with Filmmakers.- Introduction to Part II: Setting the conversations in context.- Chapter 4: Abdelkader Lagtaa: challenging accepted views(1999-2002).- Chapter 5: The “neo-real,” the social, and the symbolic in the films of M. A. Tazi(1998-2000).- Chapter 6: One decade, two comedies, two filmmakers(M.A.Tazi, Hakim Noury)( 2004-2007).- Part III: Themes and Issues in this century’s first decade.- Chapter 7: Moroccan cinema, the cultural exception, and cultural diversity(2006-7).- Chapter 8: Life history in anthropology and Moroccan cinema(2005-2010).- Chapter 9: Freedom of Expression in Moroccan Cinema and the Press(2009).- Part IV: The State of Play Two Decades In.- Chapter 10: Family Resemblance: An Anthropologist Looks at Moroccan Documentary(2020).- Chapter 11: Taking Stock of the Paradox(2008-2021).- Chapter 12: Conclusion: whither the Moroccan filmmaker’s odyssey?(2024).- Appendix: Research in Morocco over five decades.