city of Zagora hosted the 19th International Trans-Sahara Film Festival, with Kazakhstan participating as the guest of honor

From October 5 to 10, 2025, the city of Zagora hosted the 19th International Trans-Sahara Film Festival, with Kazakhstan participating as the guest of honor. Kazakhstan’s National Holiday, Republic Day, was celebrated during the festival.
The opening ceremony was attended by members of the Moroccan Parliament, Abdelkader Taher Chairman of the Morocco-Kazakhstan Parliamentary Friendship Group, Madani Cheikhi, Chairman of the Zagora City Council, Abdeljadil El-Khreife, Chairman of the Zagora Municipal Council, Youssef Dahhamat, Vice President of the Zagora Provincial Tourism Council, representatives of the diplomatic corps, and media.
Festival President Khaled Shahid congratulated everyone on the opening and noted that holding such a major event in conjunction with the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Morocco and presenting Kazakhstani culture and cinema is of great importance for the development of the region, as it helps attract tourists and influencers, as well as promote the national film industry. In her speech, Ambassador S. Sailaukyzy highlighted the reforms being implemented in Kazakhstan, important events and international initiatives, as well as the achievements of the two countries in political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation.
The film festival featured films from more than 25 countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia, including Central Asian countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Kazakhstan presented four films: “Tulip,” “Sasyk,” “Tomiris,” and “Paralympiets.” Representatives of the Kazakh film industry, including renowned actress Samal Yeslyamova, also attended the event.
The Moroccan audience responded with great interest to the “Shymkent Concert” concert program by the Philharmonic. The festival also included a joint display of Kazakh and Moroccan national costumes.