Latest news with #Darija
CairoScene
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Moroccan Band Teltach Drops Conscious Metal Single ‘Zidona fl'Madaris'
The track questions if progress lies in building more schools or more prisons, touching on themes of Moroccan nationalism and social injustice. Aug 15, 2025 Teltach, a Moroccan outfit dedicated to challenging the mainstream perception of rock music, just dropped a socially conscious metal track titled 'Zidona fl'Madaris'. The track questions if progress lies in building more schools or more prisons, touching on themes of Moroccan nationalism and social injustice. Through provocative lyrics in Darija and a blend of metallic rock with punk aesthetics, the track serves as a raw, bold and rebellious commentary on the country's systemic corruption and politics. The track marks the first single from Teltach's upcoming debut concept album, 'Dyor L'Foqara'. The music video for the track features distorted visuals of demonstrations and national uprisings, interspersed with cuts of the band performing live, and snippets of TV interviews with political figures.
Morocco World
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Morocco World
Strong Thunderstorms Expected in Several Moroccan Regions This Wednesday
Rabat – The General Directorate of Meteorology in Morocco has announced that strong thunderstorms are expected today, in several regions of the country. According to a weather alert classified as 'orange level,' heavy rain between 15 and 30 millimeters is forecast, along with strong winds and possible hail. The storms are expected to affect the provinces of Taza, Taourirt, Guercif, Jerada, Ifrane, Khenifra, Khouribga, Fquih Ben Salah, Beni Mellal, and Azilal. The warning is in effect from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. today. Morocco has been experiencing unstable and extreme weather conditions in recent weeks. The country has been hit by intense heatwaves, sandstorms, thunderstorms, and strong winds. Temperatures rose to over 44 degrees in several regions across the country. Many Moroccans have been heading to beaches, lakes, and swimming pools to cool off and cope with the heat. To help people stay safe, Moroccan weather authorities have been raising awareness on TV and radio. They are using Arabic, Darija (Moroccan Arabic), and Amazigh languages to reach a wide audience, warning them about upcoming heatwaves and advising them on how to protect themselves. The country has been facing rising temperatures and very little rainfall, making the weather even more difficult to cope with, especially in inland areas. This trend is expected to continue throughout the summer, with above-average temperatures forecast across the country. Tags: thunderstormWeatherweather alert
CairoScene
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Backstage: Stormy at Nawafiz Festival
We caught up with Moroccan rap sensation Stormy ahead of his performance at Utrecht's Nawafiz Festival, where we discussed his pre-performance rituals and creative process. Jun 28, 2025 Moroccan rap sensation Stormy has been unstoppable since his debut album 'ICEBERG' in 2024. His unflinching honesty, sharp flows in Darija and French, and affinity for meaningful worldplay established him as one of the most exciting talents in the region's hip-hop scene and earned him a dedicated following across Europe as well. Before his breakthrough in the scene, the Rabat-born wordsmith used to release freestyles on YouTube, where he would anxiously await feedbacks from listeners to improve his lyrical delivery. Now, as he took centre stage at this year's Nawafiz Festival in Utrecht with confidence and swagger for his Netherlands debut - further expanding his global footprint - Stormy remains as humble as he first started. For him, live performances are another means through which he tries to workshop his sound, by paying close attention to the crowd and which flows or verses of his songs they react to the most. Backstage, he was still as welcoming, warm and humble as he vulnerably shared with us his experience visiting the Netherlands for the first time, his pre-performance rituals, and creative process. Despite his chart-topping hits and almost a million monthly streams on Spotify, Stormy's intention is never about making hits, but rather creating something that accurately reflects his skills and persona, and most importantly, satisfies his thirst for creativity. Watch the full interview below:
Ya Biladi
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Can Morocco be prompted ? Highly realistic AI-generated videos spark the question
Imagine a world where your favorite actor isn't real, your favorite movie never had a shooting location, and the banker on that billboard ad you drive by every morning never sat for a bank interview, or even an audition. They're all AI-generated, prompted, yet eerily realistic. What once felt like a distant sci-fi future might be just around the corner, thanks to the rapid advancement of AI video generation. On May 20, a major leap was made : tech giant Google announced the release of Google Veo 3, its latest AI video generation model capable of producing 8-second clips. Once unveiled, Veo 3 took the internet by storm. It introduced synchronized audio, including dialogue, sound effects, and ambient noise, alongside high-quality visuals that surpassed anything previously seen in AI-generated media. AI-generated videos speaking Darija Within hours of its release, shockingly realistic videos created with Veo 3 circulated online. And Morocco was no exception, rather, it was proof that the tool could adapt to different dialects. Videos shared by Moroccan users showed AI-generated people speaking Darija, dressed in traditional clothing, and placed in settings that looked distinctly Moroccan. The realism of these AI-generated videos sparked confusion, with many social media users having to double-check in the comments if what they were seeing was indeed fake. But what happens if those eight seconds are extended into short films, or even full-length features? What does that mean for both the global and local film and entertainment industry? Since the release of Veo 3, Casablanca-based photographer and advertisement director Youness Hamiddine has been experimenting. On his social media accounts, he posted AI-generated clips of street interviews in Moroccan settings, fictional men and women in djellabas speaking Darija, and even a street performer singing about Casablanca's beloved Wydad football club. This isn't Hamiddine's first AI venture. Eight months ago, he directed the first entirely AI-generated music video in Morocco for rapper Young Loun, called Bakhira, which depicted irregular migration attempts. «As a movie director and producer, I feel AI gives me more creative freedom and choice», he told Yabiladi enthusiastically in an interview. «It helps me understand what I can do within my budget. In our field, costs can skyrocket due to logistics, such as renting gear, hiring actors, and obtaining filming permits», he mentioned. Learning, prompting and adapting Through the videos he's been sharing, Hamiddine is clearly adapting, learning how to use a technology that's only evolving, becoming faster, more realistic, and more efficient. «This reminds me of the shift from film to digital. I often think of Kodak's story, which we can learn from», he reflected. Kodak famously shut down its camera business in 2012 after failing to keep pace with the rise of digital photography. «Why do I bring this up? Because we're going through the same transition, this time, from filming to prompting», Hamiddine said. To him, a movie director or producer can now «see what [they] write, instead of going through the whole process of hiring actors, makeup artists, stylists, planning pre-production, filming, editing, and color grading». «Now, you just need to prompt your idea», he summed up. Can you prompt Morocco ? But does this mean the movie industry is losing jobs and filming locations to AI? Can Morocco, a longtime favorite for foreign film productions thanks to its iconic locations like the Ouarzazate studios and kasbahs, favorable weather, experienced extras, and skilled technicians, be recreated with prompts? According to Hamiddine, the answer is nuanced: «I'm not saying it will replace everything 100%», he clarified. «But with this AI evolution, some jobs sooner or later will disappear». And not just jobs, certain gear, too. Just as film cameras became obsolete, AI could soon replace «cameras, studios, sound equipment, and even set décor», he said. «AI will impact the cinema industry, that is for sure. Even if it doesn't fully take over, it will certainly change things», he noted. What might remain, however, are genres rooted in realism, such as documentaries, news, and testimony-based content, where real human presence is irreplaceable, he signaled. Human connection vs. prompted That sentiment is echoed by Hicham Hajji, a producer and filmmaker working between Hollywood and Morocco. While he sees AI as a potential asset for filmmakers, especially in speeding up complex visual effects, he's skeptical about it fully replacing human-made movies. «Movies survived World War I, World War II, COVID… and they'll survive Artificial Intelligence», he told Yabiladi. According to him, people still crave human connection even through actors. «There will definitely be attempts to replace them, and we might go through a few tough years. But in the end, audiences won't enjoy watching movies with character actors who don't exist. They won't connect with them. People will want real actors back», he explained. Hajji, who helps bring Hollywood productions to Morocco, isn't yet convinced that Morocco as a filming location is under threat. «It's too early to tell», he said. «But from my experience, the best filmmakers are always after authenticity. They want to shoot in real locations, with real actors», he said. And Morocco offers that. For now, AI might enhance reality, not replace it, said the movie director who shot parts of his new movie The Lost Princess in Morocco. Hamiddine shares the same principle. «You could film in Ouarzazate but use AI to generate a dragon scene. Just like augmented reality, AI can boost what's already been filmed», he said. «Or maybe, instead of hiring hundreds of extras, you hire ten and duplicate them with AI».
Morocco World
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Morocco World
Comediablanca 2025 Opens Today: What to Expect for Day 1
Casablanca — Comediablanca 2025 is kicking off today, with the second annual Morocco's biggest comedy festival opening tonight at Casablanca's Complexe Mohammed V. The event, which was set to take place on May 30-31, was brought forward to May 29-30 to avoid clashing with a prominent match of the Wydad Athletic Club on May 31. Tonight's event, the Gala Arabophone, will see fans of comedy ushered into an evening of Moroccan and Darija comedy. The evening will start with a captivating opening ceremony, introducing Morocco's rich comedy heritage through a montage of popular Moroccan comedians and popular television sketches. For organizers, the idea is to pave the way to a nostalgic but fresh start to the event. Taking to the stage are actress and comedian Hanan El Fadili, social media star and comedian Oussama Ramzi, dynamic performer Ayoub Idri, and the satirical pair Driss & Mehdi. Up-and-coming stars Saïd & Wadie, social media stars Ghita Kitane and Simo Sedraty will also be on offer. And closing the show is comedian Mohammed Fatih, scheduled to deliver relatable and topical humour to the crowd. Ahead of the gala event, attendees are invited to explore Comediablanca Village, which opens at 17:00 and runs until the show begins at 20:00. The festival hub features artisan stalls, diverse food trucks, and cozy small stages hosting improvised performances and comedy workshops, games, creating a lively pre-show atmosphere. Tomorrow, May 30, the event extends into the evening with the Gala Francophone, top-billed by Roman Frayssinet and a roster of Meryem Benoua as a host, Mimo Lazrak, Erick Baert, and more. Today's Arabophone gala will prepare Casablanca to emerge as a beacon of humor and cross-cultural exchange. Morocco World News will offer continuous coverage from the center of the event. Tags: comedyComedy festival in Casblanca
