The Tangier National Film Festival, placed under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, paid a special tribute on Friday evening to the late journalist and film critic Nour-Eddine Saïl.
During the opening ceremony of the 22nd edition of this cinematographic event organized until September 24, the organizers made a point of paying a special tribute to Tangiers late Nour-Eddine Saïl, for having contributed greatly to the development of national, African cinema and internationally.
In a speech on this occasion, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, saluted the memory of a great personality who was among the pioneers of film criticism in Morocco, highlighting the rich contribution of the deceased to the promotion of the film industry and the culture of the 7th art in the Kingdom.
“The late Nour-Eddine Saïl was a unique man who put his ideas at the service of national cinema, encouraging Moroccan productions and artists, and then becoming the best ambassador of our culture and our national identity, so exceptional and distinguished”, underlined Mr. Bensaid.
For his part, Moroccan director Kamal Kamal affirmed in a similar speech that Nour-Eddine Saïl is considered “the spiritual father of national cinema”, and “godfather of African cinema”, adding that he will always be present in the memories and in hearts thanks to his many contributions aimed at promoting the seventh art.
“Nour-Eddine Saïl sowed the seeds of the culture of the seventh art in the Kingdom, by creating the National Federation of Film Clubs which contributed to the promotion of cinephilia”, remarked Mr. Kamal, underlining the importance support given by the late and highlighting his contributions to the service of cinema in Arab and African countries.
For her part, the widow of the late Nour-Eddine Saïl, Nadia Larguet, highlighted the extraordinary intellectual potential of the deceased, his high human qualities, the multiple skills at his disposal and his tireless quest to ensure the influence and presence of the Kingdom in major film events around the world.
“The name of Nour-Eddine Saïl will remain engraved forever in Arab and African festivals, including the FNF in Tangier, the International Festival of African Cinema in Khouribga and FESPACO in Burkina Faso, among others”, observed Ms. Larguet, recalling that he was “a unique personality” as HM King Mohammed VI had pointed out in a message of condolences to his family.
“The Moroccan film scene has lost a pioneer of the seventh art, having marked by his wonderful works a part of the radiant history of the FNF of Tangier”, affirmed, for his part, the president of the Municipal Council of Tangier, Mounir Laymouri.
Screenwriter, novelist, producer and film critic, Nour-Eddine Saïl is a native of Tangier. A teacher and inspector general of philosophy until 1984, he founded the National Federation of Moroccan Film Clubs in 1973, of which he was president until 1983.
He was a film critic on radio and television, director of programs for Moroccan Television (1984-1986), audiovisual advisor to the president of the ONA group (1989-1990), director of programs for Canal+Horizons (1990-2000), Managing Director of 2M (2000-2003), Director of the Moroccan Cinematographic Center (2003-2014) as well as Deputy Vice-President of the Marrakech International Film Festival (2004-2014).
He was also president of the African Cinema Foundation of Khouribga and of the “Ouarzazate Film Commission” as well as a member of the executive office of Europa Cinemas in Paris.
Died on December 15, 2020 in Rabat, Nour-Eddine Saïl is the father of three children: Najib, Morad and Suleiman.
The National Film Festival pays tribute to the late Nour-Eddine Saïl