A Thousand and One Hands

Born in 1942 in Timbuktu, Souheil Ben Barka was educated in Morocco, then in Italy, at the Centro Sperimentale in Rome. After working for Pasolini (The Gospel according to Matthew, 1964) and directing short films for the RAI, he directed his first feature film, The Thousand and One Hands, in 1972 He then followed with Blood Wedding, Amok, The Battle of the Three Kings. Not only did he direct these films but he also acted as producer and distributor-exhibitor. He owns his own studios in Ouarzazate, where many Hollywood films have been made. He is currently preparing a film about the great geographer of the sixteenth century “Leo Africanus”, which will be titled “The Christian in Mecca.” Souheil Ben Barka was Director of the Moroccan Cinematographic Centre (CCM) from 1986 to 2003. —Africultures