Projection in Washington of the documentary “Morocco, Morocco”
The documentary “Morocco, Morocco”, directed by American Jackie Spinner, was screened on Tuesday evening in Washington, at the initiative of the Pulitzer Center.
The documentary looks at the origins of the name of the town of Morocco, in Indiana in the centre of the United States, and tries to examine the perception of the inhabitants of this town on Morocco and those of Moroccans on America in general, by giving the floor to children in particular.
The film, which is based on interviews with residents of Morocco, reveals the relationship that this small American town has with the Kingdom.
This film attempts to understand the links between the town of Morocco and Morocco, explained the director during a meeting held after the screening, in the presence of several journalists, university professors and members of the Moroccan community in the United States.
The 28-minute documentary explains that in 1851, a rider wearing red Moroccan leather boots approached two men clearing land in a central U.S. region.
According to local legend, the founders named their new Indiana town after the traveller’s boots.
This documentary, the second directed by Jackie Spinner, also gives an insight into the way of life in small-town America, and highlights the strong attachment of the inhabitants to local traditions and customs.
Filmed in Morocco, particularly in Casablanca, the documentary also tells the story of how the rural community in the small American town tries to maintain its identity. By giving voice to the local doctor, the sheriff, a tattoo artist and a farmer, the film gives an idea of what it is like to live in Morocco in the heart of America.
The highlight of the documentary is the scene that highlights children in Morocco and Morocco, whose ideas of each other remind us that we are all connected.
“The idea for this film came to me in July 2019, when I was driving home to Chicago with my two Moroccan-born sons,” Jackie Spinner explains, adding, “After spotting a town called Morocco in Indiana on a map, I decided to stop there one morning.”
“My older son turned to me and said, ‘That doesn’t look like Morocco,’ while my younger son asked me where all the Moroccans were. That’s how the idea for the film came about,” she continues.
Spinner spent the next two years visiting the city and filming with her crew to find out how Morocco got its name and what links there are between Morocco and Morocco.
The common thread is the mystery of the red boots, which feature prominently on the town’s welcome sign, to Morocco, where the final scenes were filmed in the midst of a pandemic.
“Morocco, Morocco” is the second documentary directed by Jackie Spinner, following “Don’t Forget Me” (2018).
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