Based on extended field research and meetings with members of Morocco’s film world, this book traces the development of Moroccan cinema over the past three decades. Drawing from his extensive work on Moroccan cinema, Kevin Dwyer discusses important aspects of Moroccan film culture such as freedom of expression, the role of women, cultural diversity, the promotion of culture, the role of humor, the shifting emphasis on the urban, autobiographical aspects of films, and the development of documentary films. Dwyer closely analyzes a significant number of Moroccan films, providing crucial details about filmmakers; historical context; and comparisons with the cinemas of Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt.

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.