A founding transnational experience for the pioneers of Moroccan national cinema: studying in Lódz film school in the 1960s-70s

One of the founding cross-cultural dynamics of the nascent post-colonial Moroccan cinema was that filmmakers had to leave Morocco to study. Some of them chose to attend the legendary Lódz film school in Poland. We examine the numerous facets of this transnational experience. Despite landing in a grey, cold communist country, Moroccan filmmakers still managed to forge multi-national friendships, experience love stories, commit wholeheartedly to politics, discover films from all over the globe and explore and reflect on all forms of art. To what extent did this experience enrich what they imagined for Moroccan cinema? Can their student films be considered as a 'Moroccan-cinema-to-be'?