An era of closer collaboration between UK and Moroccan film-makers is expected when a new film co-production agreement between the two countries takes effect next year.

UK and Moroccan Government officials have now successfully completed negotiations on the treaty, which will enable UK and Moroccan film-makers to work together to co-produce films that will be eligible for national status in both countries.

Culture Minister Barbara Follett said:

“The United Kingdom and Morocco have a shared history of film-making, from Lawrence of Arabia to more recent productions like Black Hawk Down and Troy.   This agreement will give film-makers an economic incentive to work together and build on that legacy, by giving them access to the benefits available in both countries.

“As Morocco continues to be a hot location for film-makers, this further strengthening of our cultural ties can only be a good thing.”

Chief Executive Officer of the UK Film Council John Woodward said:

“The UK is delighted to be taking its filmmaking relationship with Morocco a stage further, through the forthcoming signing of a co-production treaty.  This will provide a really exciting opportunity for Moroccan and British filmmakers, artists and technicians to work together and to share stories by allowing them to share financial resources and to get films made.

“As such it’s a fantastic way of building up and sustaining both of our industries, which is ever more important in the global economy of film.”

The benefits of having a co-production agreement with Morocco include:

giving film-makers access to sources of funding and support in both countries; providing an incentive to film-makers to use UK post-production facilities for films shot in Morocco;

providing UK films with access to distribution networks in Morocco and further afield in North Africa; 

allowing British-African stories to be told which might otherwise not have been; and 

potentially increasing the number of film tourists to the UK.  Research shows that some film locations get up to a 30% boost in bookings from fans visiting locations in their favourite films.
The UK-Moroccan co-production treaty is expected to come into force in the first half of 2009.  There are already a number of co-productions in the pipeline which have been developed in both Morocco and the UK.

http://www.dcms.gov.uk/reference_library/media_releases/5610.aspx