Moroccan producer Khadija Alami at the 14th Marrakech International Film Festival, December 11, 2014. JALAL MORCHIDI / ANADOLU VIA AFP
Provisionally named Argan Studios, the project – led by 64-year-old producer Khadija Alami – has been described as Morocco's first comprehensive ecosystem dedicated to cinema. Located between Rabat and Casablanca, it is expected to cover 80 hectares and include giant studios, a campus for film industry training, two hotels and business and conference centers, according to an internal memo seen by Le Monde. The total investment, set to break ground this year, is estimated at nearly €70 million, with an inauguration planned for 2030.
"Argan Studios embodies Morocco's ambition to become the leading integrated audiovisual hub in Africa," stated a presentation of the planned film city. Reflecting the project's high-level support, it is being monitored by an adviser to King Mohammed VI.
To acquire part of the land – about 40 hectares, which the Moroccan government has agreed to sell – and to build an initial studio expected to open in 2027, Alami's production company, K Films, will spend approximately €18 million. Two-thirds of this amount will come from a loan from a Moroccan bank.
