Morocco has launched construction of the International Cinema City in Ouarzazate, a major new film production hub, as the country’s audiovisual sector draws record levels of foreign investment and cements its status as a global filming destination.
The project is designed as a “one-stop shop” platform covering the entire film industry value chain, from production to post-production, training and tourism.
The complex will be structured around five complementary clusters, including a production hub featuring a 3,000 sq meter studio, technical facilities and reception areas for domestic and international crews, according to officials.
Other components include post-production and archiving facilities, a training and skills development center, a cluster dedicated to innovation and creative technologies, and a unit focused on hospitality and film tourism.
The initiative comes amid a rapid expansion of Morocco’s film industry, driven largely by international productions.
Foreign shoots generated around 1.5 billion dirhams ($140–150 million) annually in 2024 and 2025, a record level and roughly three times the revenue recorded before 2021.
Officials say the surge reflects Morocco’s growing appeal to global studios, attracted by its diverse landscapes, competitive costs and established infrastructure, particularly around Ouarzazate, long dubbed the country’s “Hollywood of Africa”.
Big-budget productions and international series have increasingly chosen Morocco as a primary filming location, with individual projects sometimes injecting hundreds of millions of dirhams into the local economy.
Authorities view the new cinema city as a way to consolidate this momentum, strengthen local expertise and capture a larger share of global production spending.
