Spotlight on Morocco
Locations favored by world’s filmmakers
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Stunning landscapes and skilled crew specializing in craft-intensive set construction, combined with low costs and a VAT exemption for foreign companies, have led to a boom in projects heading for Morocco. According to official government film body CCM, eight foreign feature films rolled there in 2005. By 2007 that figure had climbed to 20.
This year the trend persists, with titles such as Warner Bros.' "Sex and the City 2," Christopher Nolan's Leonardo DiCaprio starrer "Inception" and the Brazilian-Spanish $15 million "Lope" (aka "Dreammaker") all heading to the North African kingdom -- not to mention the miniseries "Ben Hur,"a $30 million international co-production.
Edmon Roch of Ikiru Films, the Spanish producer of "Lope," stresses the value for money still to be found in the territory. He shot at Morocco's CLA Studios Ouarzazate and describes working in the country as "a fantastic experience." (Ikiru also co-produced Constantin's John Goodman starrer "Pope Joan," which also shot at CLA.)
The "Lope" crew was able to re-create 16th-century Madrid and Lisbon streets in urban Moroccan locations. Roch says, "What we did there is unthinkable in Europe."
Directed by Andrucha Waddington, "Lope" is skedded for an autumn 2010 release and stars Luis Tosar, Leonor Watling and Pilar Lopez de Ayala.
But the global downturn has left its mark on Morocco's burgeoning production sector. According to CLA topper Amine Tazi, "There has been less work this year than last; I hope and expect 2010 to be much better." Aside from "Pope Joan" and "Ben Hur," CLA has mainly handled documentary fare of late.
Zak Prods. head and line producer Zakaria Alaoui says he had "an extremely successful year" but goes on to add, "Production activity in Morocco has dropped drastically in the last 12 months. We're a lucky exception to the rule. And next year is when the downturn is really going to bite."
Alaoui was the Moroccan partner on "Ben Hur," "Inception" and "Sex and the City 2," which wraps in December. He adds that Morocco looks to London rather than L.A. for business, citing the recent signing of a U.K.-Morocco co-production treaty -- still awaiting ratification -- as an important step forward. But he says that Morocco's VAT exemption is not enough and that some other incentive is required to maintain the competitive edge.
Drimtim Entertainment's Roger Corbi, exec producer of "Ben Hur," agrees, arguing the VAT exemption is not enough as other territories offer increasingly competitive incentives. "Morocco really needs to offer some kind of tax rebate," he adds.
Still, with Studio City Dubai rumored to have lost "Sex and the City 2" to Morocco because the project's title was not to the more conservative territory's liking, it's hard to see how the location will fall out of favor with production managers looking for the perfect package of sunny skies and sophisticated sets.
