Film Permit in Morocco: Film, TV, documentary and corporate productions
Morocco boasts stunning landscapes and a rich cultural heritage, making it a popular destination for filmmakers worldwide. However, navigating the process of obtaining a film permit in Morocco requires a thorough understanding of local regulations. Notably, the legal necessity of partnering with a Moroccan production company applies in most cases. This article guides you through the essential steps and considerations for securing your filming permit in Morocco in time and ensuring a smooth production process.
Understanding the legal requirements:
Before obtaining a movie permit and operating legally in Morocco, you must identify a Moroccan production partner who holds an “autorisation d’exercice et agrément de production.” This authorization from the Moroccan Cinema Center (CCM) is crucial as executing cinematography for foreign entities is a regulated activity in Morocco. Not every production company possesses this authorization; therefore, carefully selecting a reliable production partner who understands your needs and defends your interests is a critical step in the process.
Why you need a Moroccan production partner ?
The legislation requiring a Moroccan production partner applies to a wide range of productions, including:
– Feature films
– Short films
– Television series
– Documentaries
– Reality television
– Music videos
– Institutional videos
Your Moroccan production partner acts as a legal intermediary, ensuring that all professional regulations, payments, the applicable VAT and income tax, and, last but not least, security precautions are correctly implemented. This partnership is not merely a formality but a cornerstone for your production’s success in Morocco.
The Role of your production partner:
He will be your key connection to the local environment, ensuring your production follows all legal requirements. He will manage the financial aspects of your production, including all necessary transactions, which might be handled through your partner or a dedicated project bank account. He’ll ensure all local regulations are followed, providing a safe and professional working environment for the entire crew.
How to Get a Film Permit in Morocco
Obtaining a Moroccan filming permit involves several steps, depending on the type of production. Below are the steps categorized by production type:
1- Categories: Film Permit For Feature film / docu-fiction / medium-length film / short film
The filming permit shall be issued within 15 days, starting the day after the submission of the completed application:
– A request for a filming permit, signed and stamped by the manager of the Moroccan company approved for executive production and addressed to the Director of the MFC (Moroccan Film Center)
– The Filming Permit application form, duly completed, signed, and stamped by the company manage : Application Form https://www.ccm.ma/pdf/Demande_AT.pdf
– Repatriation undertakings, duly signed and stamped by the Moroccan company and the foreign company
– A copy of legalized script in Arabic or French
– A film synopsis in Arabic or French
– A duly signed and stamped accreditation by the foreign company in favor of the Moroccan executive-production company.
– An agreement between the Moroccan company and the foreign production company to send the Moroccan Film Center a bank statement specifying the amounts of financial transfers made in Morocco by the foreign production company into the bank account allocated to the production, before the end of the month following the last day of shooting.
– A list of foreign technicians, and of Moroccan technicians across all specialisms with their PIC numbers issued by the MFC, whilst respecting the quota of 25% Moroccan technicians.
– The contracts entered into with the film’s Moroccan technical-artistic team, duly signed and stamped by the contracting parties, must be submitted with the application. Other contracts must be submitted to the MFC before the start of filming, or within 5 days of the said contract being signed
– The Production Manager must be a Moroccan national and a PIC holder.
– The production company must recruit one trainee for every 8 PIC-holding technicians. Trainees must be recruited from those already entered on the trainee list that is available from the MFC together with their registration numbers.
– The work schedule.
– The call sheet for each day’s filming must be submitted to the MFC on the eve of filming.
– Evidence of having paid the Filming Permit fee pursuant to the current scale of charges
2- Categories: Film Permit For Documentary
The filming permit for a documentary shall be issued after approval by the CCM and Ministry of culture (duration for an application within this category is not exactly known or written in stone – we advise to apply for your projects preferably a few months before you want to start filming):
– A request for a filming permit, signed and stamped by the manager of the Moroccan company approved for executive production and addressed to the Director of the CCM (Centre Cinématographiques Marocain).
– The Filming Permit application form, duly completed, signed, and stamped by the Moroccan service company
– Provide a document that you agree to provide within one month of the completion of the filming of the project in Morocco a bank statement specifying the amounts of financial transfers made into Morocco.
– A documentary synopsis in Arabic or French together with a very thorough subject identification. You should provide all the information that you might think of as useful in order to facilitate the decision making process for the permit with the Moroccan government.
– A duly signed and stamped accreditation by the foreign company in favor of the Moroccan production service company
– The production schedule as it is currently known.
– A list of foreign crew and creatives attending the shoot, with their passport numbers and crew position.
– The call sheet for each day’s filming must be submitted to the CCM every day before the next filming day takes place.
3- Categories: Film Permit For Institutional film
The filming permit shall be issued within 15 days, starting on the day after submission of the completed application:
– A request for a filming permit, signed and stamped by the manager of the Moroccan company approved for executive production and addressed to the Director of the CCM (Centre Cinématographiques Marocain).
– The Filming Permit application form, duly completed, signed, and stamped by the Moroccan service company
– Provide a document that you agree to provide within one month of the completion of the filming of the project in Morocco a bank statement specifying the amounts of financial transfers made into Morocco.
– A copy of the script in Arabic or French (legalized translation)
– A film synopsis in Arabic or French
– A duly signed and stamped accreditation by the foreign company in favor of the Moroccan production service company
– The production schedule as it is currently known.
– A list of foreign technicians, and Moroccan technicians across all specialisms with their PIC numbers (professional identity card numbers) issued by the CCM, whilst respecting the quota of 25% Moroccan technicians.
– The contracts with the film’s Moroccan technical-artistic team, duly signed and stamped by the contracting parties, must be submitted with the application. Other agreements must be submitted to the CCM before the start of filming or within five days of the contract being signed.
– The contracts entered into with the film’s Moroccan technical-artistic team, duly signed and stamped by the contracting parties, must be submitted with the application. Other contracts must be submitted to the MFC before the start of filming, or within 5 days of the said contract being signed
– The Production Manager must be a Moroccan national and a PIC holder.
– The call sheet for each day’s filming must be submitted to the CCM every day before the next filming day takes place.
– Evidence of paying the filming permit fees according to the currently applicable price list.
4- Categories: Film Permit For Music video
The filming permit shall be issued within 15 days, starting on the day after submission of the completed application:
– Similar conditions apply as with a feature film, but to identify the content, you have to provide the lyrics translated into French or Arabic, and you should identify the artist by providing links to an official website, social media, pitch deck, …
Apart from what’s mentioned earlier, additional documentation might still be needed; you can contact us for more advice tailored to your production. Please consider that the delivery terms of a film permit are approximate durations; an application made in time, approximately two months before your shoot, is always advisable, especially in the case of non-scripted formats.
Our philosophy
Finding a production partner should not be seen as a barrier but as an opportunity. Our philosophy is to accompany you throughout your project, defending your interests and identifying the most cost-effective production approaches. By comparing local and international costs and fringes, we strive to find the perfect balance for your project on a case-by-case basis.
