Ouarzazate attracts international filmmakers due to its large studios, natural spaces and cinematographic infrastructure, in addition to the sunny weather which provides suitable lighting for filming.
The choice of the city nicknamed “Hollywood of Africa” for the shooting of this international film has contributed to the creation of hundreds of direct and indirect jobs in various fields and professions.
The return of cinema
Those interested in the film industry agree that choosing Ouarzazate to shoot “Gladiator 2” or other cinematic films would restore the shine to this city, which has long been a major destination for film companies. international film production, and would give a strong impetus to the tourism sector. after having suffered greatly from the repercussions of the “Covid 19” pandemic.
“Thanks to Gladiator 2, life has returned to the “Hollywood of Africa”, after we suffered for a long time in Ouarzazate from the Corona crisis”, explains the civilian actor of the region, Idriss Slavatou.
Idriss added, in a statement to ‘Sky News Arabia’: “This film production has brought smiles back to the people of the city, and many of those who had left it in search of work and new opportunities in other cities have decided to return to Ouarzazate in order to join the crew of “Gladiator 2”.
The speaker confirms that this enormous cinematographic work has allowed the creation of no less than 4,000 jobs, since many inhabitants of the region have joined the team of “Gladiator 2” as extras, while some of them are returned to professions linked to the cinema, in addition to offering the possibility to the students of the institute located in the city and specialized in the professions of the cinema, to be trained by an international team.
global radiation
The echoes received from Ouarzazate revealed that it has become difficult to find hotel rooms since the arrival of the great team of the film “Gladiateur 2” of technicians, technicians and others, who greatly contributed to moving the wheel economy and to relaunch the tourist movement in the city, and brought with it a dynamism in terms of restaurants and tourist transport. And many professions and trades which have long suffered from stagnation.
In this respect, actor and tourism expert Zubair Buhout believes that a film of the stature of “Gladiator”, preparations for which have been launched since the beginning of this year, will play an important role in tourism and in moving the economic wheel, helping to relaunch a large number of professions and revitalize the associated services.
Buhut said in a statement to “Sky News Arabia” that the presence of actors the size of Washington Denzel and other international stars in Ouarzazate will give more exposure to the city and attract tourists from all over the world.
The spokesman explains that the arrival of the film crew in Ouarzazate coincided with the organization of the Marathon des Sables, in which 1,600 people took part, which created a strong pressure on the hotels, the offer exceeding Requirement.
Bouhouth stresses that the massive return of international tourists and the attraction of the biggest film producers to Ouarzazate must be accompanied by work to strengthen the city’s tourist infrastructure, especially since some of the hotels located there find were forced under the weight of the Corona crisis to close their doors.
Hollywood African cinema
Morocco is considered a destination for international producers, as revenues from filming foreign films amounted to 667 million dirhams in the year 2019, and Ouarzazate accounted for around half of these revenues.
The film “Lawrence of Arabia” by British director David Lean, shot in 1960 in Ouarzazate, is the real launch of the international film industry in the Kingdom.
Among the international cinematographic works that have been shot or extracts from them in Ouarzazate are the film “The Man Who Will Be King” by Sean Conquery, “Nedun” by Martin Scorsese, “The Mummy”, “The Game of ‘espionage’ and the movie ‘The Gladiator’, which was filmed in 2000. ..
Zoubir Bouhout considers that among the factors that have made Ouarzazate attractive for international filmmakers, natural lighting, the diversity of sets and historical monuments, in addition to the qualified human element in the field of cinema and professional technical elements.
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