Entertainment

Bible Stories and Thrillers Make Morocco Filming Choice

Published

11 years ago

April 16, 2015

In this photo dated Jan. 29, 2015 a movie-themed municipal art on a traffic circle in the city of Ouarzazate where dozens of foreign movies are filmed every year. (AP Photo/ Paul Schemm)

PAUL SCHEMM, Associated Press

OUARZAZATE, Morocco (AP) — “QUIET!” The cry rings out in English, French and Arabic across the cobblestoned streets of Jerusalem, as filming begins for a scene in the series “A.D. The Bible Continues.”

But while the arched doorways, balconies and furnishings all say Roman-era Israel, the real-life setting is southern Morocco.

Viewers in America and elsewhere in the world may not know it but they have seen a lot of Morocco in the past year. It has served as the Baghdad of “American Sniper,” the Tehran seen in TV series “Homeland,” the Mali of “American Odyssey” and the Egypt that will appear in the miniseries “King Tut.” Morocco has also been Somalia numerous times, including in the 2001 film “Blackhawk Down,” and more recently in the 2013 “Captain Philips.” And it will be Saudi Arabia in this year’s “Hologram for a King” starring Tom Hanks.

All in all, it has been a banner year for Morocco’s status as a gigantic film-set — with $120 million spent by foreign film productions in the country last year, more than in the past five years put together.

The North African kingdom is riding high on its reputation for stability and exotic locales, but industry officials say that Morocco needs to do more — and offer more incentives — to realize its potential as a filming destination. It is contending with increasingly stiff competition from South Africa and other countries that offer deep tax rebates.

For Morocco’s film industry, the future depends on the right package of sweeteners to persuade studios to do more than just film exteriors here but also use local facilities. The ultimate goal is to get Hollywood to film entire movies in Morocco, said Sarim Fassi-Fihri, head of the Moroccan Center for Cinematography, which oversees the industry.

“The day tax incentives come to Morocco, the whole industry will move here,” he said, cutting a cinematic figure himself, sporting a fedora and puffing on a cigar. “If we make $120 million today, with tax incentives we could go up to $200-$250 million.”

He pulled out a sheaf of publicity brochures from competitors in Turkey, Colombia, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Ireland, even the Canadian province of Manitoba, with promised tax rebates of 20-40 percent plastered across the covers to entice film companies.

Ever since 1962, when David Lean filmed scenes from “Lawrence of Arabia” in Morocco, film companies have been using its deserts, mountains and cities as stand-ins for exotic locations. At the vast Atlas Studios complex in Ouarzazate — Morocco’s desert Hollywood perched between the High Atlas and the Sahara — there are sets from dozens of movies from the past decades.

Here, it’s possible to ride the camel used by Nicole Kidman in the upcoming “Queen of the Desert” past the pharaonic sets from 2002 French film “Asterix and Obelix Meet Cleopatra” to the fortifications Ridley Scott built to recreate medieval Jerusalem for the 2005 crusader film “Kingdom of Heaven.”

Morocco has fallen in and out of fashion as a movie set over the decades. One mainstay has been biblical films, and that business is booming now with the bible-craze taking off in America. At one point over the winter, there were three actors playing Jesus in different productions staying at the main hotel in Ouarzazate.

The new boom comes off some lean years, beginning with the 2008 global financial crisis and exacerbated by the 2011 Arab Spring unrest that led insurers to pull film companies out of the Middle East. But in the case of Morocco, they came back.

Morocco stands out for being blessed with the people and landscapes needed to satisfy renewed interest in the Middle East, while having none of the agitation common elsewhere.

“The Arab Spring did help us, actually, when everyone was more worried to come to Tunisia and everywhere else, they were coming to Morocco because it was a lot safer,” said Khadija Alami, head of one of Morocco’s several local production companies that partner with international companies.

Alami first worked on the 1985 Chevy Case comedy “Spies like Us,” soon followed by “Ishtar,” before founding her own production company in 1998. It organizes crews, permissions and filming locations for shoots.

The industry has also been boosted by official support. While the state has yet to approve tax rebates, it does make it easy to work in Morocco and is happy to lend the services of the Moroccan army for a reasonable fee.

Aside from the helicopters, the military equipment used in “Blackhawk Down” largely came from the Moroccan army. Soldiers also often play extras when huge crowd scenes are called for.

The government even allowed the main highway between Marrakech and the seaside town of Agadir to be closed for three weeks last year for “Mission Impossible 5.” Local media later credited the closure for a drug bust — when a car full of cocaine ran afoul of a police checkpoint in the detour.

Most important is Morocco’s reputation for tolerance regarding themes other Muslim countries might find unpalatable. Biblical stories are out of the question in some conservative countries and the current vogue for thrillers set in the Middle East is too political for many Islamic countries.

“There is a big boom here because of its nature as the most liberal of the Muslim countries,” said Eamon Patrick, a line producer for “A.D.”

“So any filming that uses a contemporary Middle East setting, they do a lot of it here,” Patrick said.

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Arts and Culture

Book Review: Books on Black History and Black Life for Kids

For the youngest reader, “As You Are: A Hope for Black Sons” by Kimberly A. Gordon Biddle, illustrated by David Wilkerson (Magination Press, $18.99) is a book for young Black boys and for their mothers. It’s a hope inside a prayer that the world treats a child gently, and it could make a great baby shower gift.

Published

3 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo of Black History Month book covers by Terri Schlichenmeyer.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

Authors: Various, Copyright: c. 2025, 2026, Publishers: Various, SRPs: $17.99-$18.99, Page Counts: Various,

Everybody in your family has stories to share.

Your parents have told you some, no doubt. Your grandparents have offered a few, too, and aunties and uncles have spun some good tales. But there’s so much more to know, so grab one of these great books and learn about Black History and Black life.

For the youngest reader, “As You Are: A Hope for Black Sons” by Kimberly A. Gordon Biddle, illustrated by David Wilkerson (Magination Press, $18.99) is a book for young Black boys and for their mothers. It’s a hope inside a prayer that the world treats a child gently, and it could make a great baby shower gift.

If someone said you couldn’t do something that you were clearly able to do, would you fight to do it anyhow? In the new book, “Remember Her Name! Debbie Allen’s Rise to Fame” by Tami Charles, illustrated by Meredith Lucius (Charlesbridge, $17.99), a young girl in the Jim Crow South is told that she can’t dance because of the color of her skin.

She didn’t listen, though, and neither did her mother, who took her daughter to Mexico, where the girl soared! This is an inspiration for any 5-to-7-year-old; be sure to check out the back-of-the-book information, if you’re an adult fan.

Do you often hear your elders say things that sound like lessons? They might be, so “Where There is Love: A Story of African Proverbs” by Shauntay Grant, illustrated by Leticia Moreno (Penguin Workshop, $18.99) is a book you’ll like. It’s a quick-to-read collection of short proverbs that you can say every day. Kids ages 4-to-6 will easily remember what they find in this book; again, look in the back for more information.

Surely, you love your neighborhood, which is why the tale inside “Main Street: A Community Story about Redlining” by Britt Hawthorne and Tiffany Jewell, illustrated by David Wilkerson (Penguin Kokila, $18.99) is a book for you.

Olivia’s neighborhood is having a block party, but she’s sad when no one shows up. That’s when she learns that “the government” is discriminating against the people and businesses near where she lives. So, what can she and her neighbors do? The answer might inspire 6-to-8-year-old kids to stand up to wrongs they see, and to help make their neighborhoods stronger and safer.

And finally, if a kid wants a book, where can they go to find it? In “I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy” by Mychal Threets, illustrated by Lorraine Nam (Random House, $18.99) is a good introduction to the best of what a library has to offer. The freedom to walk into a library and borrow a book is the theme here, as is the sheer happiness of being welcomed, no matter who you are. This is an easy book for kids as young as two and as old as five to enjoy.

On that note, if you want more, head to that library, or a nearby bookstore. They’ll be glad to see you. They’ve got stories to share.

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Activism

Art of the African Diaspora Celebrates Legacy and Community at Richmond Art Center

Published

4 days ago

February 9, 2026

Oakland Post

‘Be Still...’ by Virginia Jourdan is on display at the Richmond Art Center (RAC), in Richmond, CA. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The 2026 Art of the African Diaspora exhibition is on display at the Richmond Art Center (RAC) through March 14. The one-room gallery bursts with more than 100 works – paintings, photographs, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces – each affirming the power, beauty, and vitality of cultural expression across the African diaspora.

Now in its 29th year, Art of the African Diaspora is the Bay Area’s longest-running exhibition of its kind. Its roots stretch back to 1989, when artist and educator Marie Johnson Calloway founded Colors of Black, a salon for African American artists. That gathering inspired artists Jan Hart-Schuyers and Rae Louise Hayward to establish The Art of Living Black at the Richmond Art Center in 1996. Their vision was to showcase the creativity of emerging and established Black artists, bridging communities and widening access to audiences historically excluded from mainstream art spaces.

Over the decades, that founding vision has expanded and evolved, carried forward by artists, family members, and the Richmond Art Center after the loss of Hart-Schuyers and Hayward. In 2018, a new generation of artists formed a steering committee to organize the event; a year later, the exhibition was renamed Art of the African Diaspora to embrace the broader global connections of people of African descent.

The new name reflects not only a broader cultural lens but also an empowered community network that supports artists across the Bay Area. As part of this year’s programming, RAC will host ‘Art of the African Diaspora: Public Art in Our Communities,’ a free panel on Sat., Feb. 21, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Artists Kristine Mays, James Moore, and Malik Seneferu will join arts administrator Denise Pate for a conversation on the impact and process of public art. The discussion will be moderated by longtime arts advocate and producer Flo Wiley.

Each panelist brings a distinctive voice to the conversation. Mays, known for her ethereal wire sculptures that capture movement and spirit, has exhibited internationally and is represented in collections ranging from the Smithsonian to the Crocker Art Museum.

Sculptor and painter James Moore creates abstract metal works and colorful field paintings that explore movement, balance, and emotion. His recent public art installations include large-scale pieces in Richmond’s Shields-Reid Park. Malik Seneferu, a self-taught San Francisco native, has built a large body of work celebrating African American life through vibrant murals and expressive figurative art.

Representing the institutional side, Denise Pate oversees public arts investments as director of Community Investments at the San Francisco Arts Commission, advancing racial and cultural equity through funding and advocacy. Together, these artists and administrators will trace how public art emerges, from concept to community collaboration, and why it matters.

The Art of the African Diaspora exhibition runs through March 14 at the Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Ave., Richmond. The center is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and programs are free and open to the public.

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Alameda County

Black History Events in the East Bay

What began as Negro History Week in 1926 by author and journalist Carter G. Woodson as a way to celebrate the achievements of African Americans, the observance is now a month-long event

Published

4 days ago

February 9, 2026

Oakland Post

The Oakland Black Cowboys Association will hold an event to teach children the love of riding at Fairyland on Feb. 14. Here, a member of the OBCA high-fives a young rider at an event in 2021. Facebook photo.

By Post Staff

What began as Negro History Week in 1926 by author and journalist Carter G. Woodson as a way to celebrate the achievements of African Americans, the observance is now a month-long event, and nearly every day in the Bay Area, there is somewhere to honor the ancestors, our living thought leaders, artists, and activists, and prepare children for the future. Below are just a few places to go.

Lunar New Year X Black History Month 2026: Celebrating Asian & African American Solidarity

Now in its fourth year, the Oakland Asian Cultural Center rolls out its biggest event, featuring lion dancers, drummers, performers, arts & crafts, a Kids + Teens Zone curated by Storyland Collective, a marketplace of local artisans, and free admission for all ages! This event is part of OACC’s ongoing Open E.A.R.S. for Change initiative, launched in 2020 to build stronger relationships between local APIA and Black communities. SambaFunk closes out the day at 3:15 and the Bantaba Drum Call and Comrade Lover Lion Dancers perform shortly after story time for young children at noon. Register for free tickets. https://oacc.liveimpact.org/li/8737/sevent/evt/home/294475/69

Oakland Asian Cultural Center
388 Ninth St. Suite 290
Oakland, CA
Feb. 7, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

DIY: Black Culture Bookmark Making

Go to the Golden Gate Branch of the Oakland Public Library for small-scale collaging at this Black-themed make-your-own-bookmarks session.

Bring: Your vision, creativity, and, if you like, wallet-sized photos or images of your favorite Black heroes or family members.

We’ll supply the cardstock paper, African diaspora designs, artwork, images, lettering, glue, scissors, and laminating. This session is suitable for adults and seniors.

Golden Gate Library
5609 San Pablo Ave.
Oakland, CA,
Feb. 11, 5:30-7 p.m.

Oakland Black Cowboy Association Shares Love of the Ride

Celebrate the history, culture, and living legacy of Black cowboys at the Black Cowboy Academy. It will be an interactive day of lasso lessons, pony grooming with real live ponies, and meet and greets with actual cowboys! Fairyland joins hands and hearts with the Oakland Black Cowboy Association and the Metropolitan Horsemen’s Association this Valentine’s Day for an immersive event of learning and love. Included with general admission.

Children’s Fairyland
699 Bellevue Ave.
Sat., Feb. 14, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Love Stories for Black History Month

At the Berkeley Public Library, a children’s book fair “Valentine to Black Stories” will feature some of your favorite Black authors of children’s books!

Come celebrate love, Black authors, and Black stories at this special children’s book fair. They will have free books, crafts and special presentations from Bay Area Black authors.Festivities will feature a collage workshop led by Oakland artist Chanel London of Hella Artsy. Participants will be invited to make collage portraits inspired by artist Derrick Barnes.

Berkeley Central Public Library
2090 Kittredge St. Berkeley, CA
Sat. Feb. 14, 1- 4 p.m.

The Black Child Book Fair (BCBF) from Chicago to Oakland, CA- Book Signing Event

BCBF began in Chicago in 2009 through the vision and experience of author and poet Darryl Harvey. Harvey’s vision brings extraordinary children’s book authors together to close the great need for black representation in children’s books. Engage with authors, participate in story time and fun activities.

Oakland African American Museum and Library
859 14^th St., Oakland CA
Sat. Feb. 21, 12-5 p.m.