Sidi Moumen, on the periphery of Casablanca, is sadly known as the neighborhood where the young kamikazes who carried out the terrorist attacks in that city on May 16, 2003 grew up. However, ten years later, it is also in this neighborhood that families of the terrorists’ victims, as well as the families of the kamikazes themselves, were able to meet for the first time, at the initiative of the Ali Zaoua Foundation, during a debate over the fight against radicalization and the paths towards forgiveness. Those responsible for this unusual event were the filmmaker Nabil Ayouch and the writer and visual artist Mahi Binebine.

Moved by the need to fight against radicalization and build bridges between the inhabitants of disadvantaged neighborhoods in Moroccan cities and the rest of the people, these two intellectuals created the Ali Zaoua Foundation in 2009. Convinced that this connection can be built through the arts and culture, the foundation has started up several initiatives to allow youths who are socially excluded to express themselves through channels other than violence and to discover spaces for dialogue. The Stars of Sidi Moumen is precisely one of these initiatives. It is a cultural center set up in the neighborhood, where youth training is provided in the fields of art, dance, theater, etc. It is also a meeting point with the rest of the people in the city of Casablanca, because it regularly hosts shows and activities put on with the cooperation of Moroccan and international performers and artists.

Mahi Binebine is a very well-known visual artist and writer who was born in Marrakesh. He discovered the Sidi Moumen neighborhood in 2004, after the terrorist attack in Casablanca. “Los caballos de Dios “(Alfaguara), the original title of which was precisely “Les étoiles de Sidi Moumen” (“The Stars of Sidi Moumen”) is one of his most successful novels. With masterful realism, it tells the story of how these terrorists attacks in Casablanca gradually unfolded. It was awarded with the Arab Novel Prize in 2010 and has been portrayed on film by director Nabil Ayouch. His movie was awarded with the “Espiga de Oro” at the 57th edition of the International Cinema Week in Valladolid and the François-Chalais Award at the Cannes Film Festival, now forming part of the scheduled current film series at Casa Árabe, with screenings on January 22 and February 19.

The event will be presented by Nuria Medina, Casa Árabe’s Coordinator of Cultural Programs.