DVD : the living treasures
Documentary film : 52 minutes
directed: Michel GARDEY.
written Françoise BOTTEREAU, Michel GARDEY et Dawa THONDUP.
See the trailer of the documentary
The documentary film introduces its famous « fil conducteur » Mr
Mohammed Abdelilah Belrhazi. His family comes from Fès. His grand father
was an astronomer and he collected astrolabes, his son was famous for his textile
collection, specially the old caftans. His 2 other sons were specialists in
their fields- one in the horses saddles, the other one in embroidered mausolée’s
covers. It is logical that our interlocutor, who became expert in the marocco
ethnologic heritage and heir of all the family collection, keeps completing
them. He is still looking for the rare pieces.He opened his own museum in 1996,
under the care of Lalla Meriam, sister of the King, Mohammed VI. The list of
prices and awards is very long : the Hassan II award is one of the most prestigious.
His most famous achievement are the Mosquée of th Mohammed V mausolée
in Rabat, the Marocco embassy in Algeria, the 27 domes for the Prophet mosquée
in Médine.
Let’s go in the heart of the Rabat museum for an introduction of the beginning
of the marocco weaving technical. We will shoot the old pieces of the museum
as we will interview the craftmen.
We will go to the Salé arts and crafts center for the wool classical
weaving next to Rabat, then we will go in the heart of the Médina to
see the last weaver of natural straw mats. The silk brocard will be shoot in
the Fès Médina, last city where this art is practiced in the old
style. In the classical marcocco arts and crafts, the carpet weaving has an
important place : we will shoot the carpet auction sales, which takes place
every Tuesday, at daybreak in the Khemisset market..This is the best place for
all the carpets salers from Marrakech, Casablanca or Agadir to buy the best
pieces at the better prices.. Here the sellers are the women who have made the
carpet at home during the last two or three months : kilims, uniques pieces
with natural and vegetable colours, drawing with old patterns coming from their
tribes and culture. Next we will see another auction sale in the Rabat Médina
with an inspection made by the arts and crafts director who authenticates each
carpet with a seal.
We will go to Ain Leuh, village lost in the Moyen Atlas, where a women cooperative,
specially well-known for the delicacy of their work, is set. They won most of
the awards of the arts and crafts competitions in Marocco and have among their
famous customers, His Royal Majesty Mohammed VI himself.
The journey will bring us to Ouezzane, at the north of the country, famous for
the woolen caftans weaving. Some wonderfull pearly woolen pieces are sold by
auction every Thursday around 16 o’clock in the heart of the Médina.
We invite you to a trip full of colours, rich in old and fascinating traditions.
Each Arts and crafts master will be interviewed by Mister Belrhazi who talks
both in french and arab.
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