The Aesthetics of Folk Cultural Heritage in Moroccan Cinema: Thread of the Soul by Hakim Belabbes as a Case Study
30 June 2025 2025-07-07 4:28The Aesthetics of Folk Cultural Heritage in Moroccan Cinema: Thread of the Soul by Hakim Belabbes as a Case Study

The Aesthetics of Folk Cultural Heritage in Moroccan Cinema: Thread of the Soul by Hakim Belabbes as a Case Study
This article explores the representation of popular culture in Moroccan cinema through an aesthetic and anthropological analysis of Thread of the Soul (2003) by Hakim Belabbes. The film is examined as a hybrid artistic form that intertwines fiction and reality, individual memory and collective heritage. Central to this study is the question: How does cinema reconstruct popular cultural heritage and invest it with aesthetic and humanistic meaning? Drawing on semiotic, narrative, and visual analysis—alongside anthropological insights—the paper examines how the film reimagines rituals, symbols, and marginal figures within a poetic and philosophical framework. The fragmented narrative, infused with childhood memories and nostalgia, serves as a vehicle for reflecting on identity, memory, and the passage of time. The analysis is contextualized within a broader Moroccan cinematic tradition, particularly referencing the works of Ahmed El Maanouni and Izza Genini, whose portrayals of cultural heritage inform Belabbes’s artistic approach. The study pays close attention to the film’s use of silence, spatial emptiness, visual composition, and sound design, all of which contribute to its meditative and existential tone. Rather than simply documenting popular culture, Belabbes offers a personal, reflective reimagining of it, transforming the everyday into a space of symbolic and aesthetic resonance. His work stands as part of an independent cinematic vision that emphasizes simplicity, sincerity, and depth in its engagement with Moroccan cultural identity.

Kamal Lougleb
Related Posts
Science Step Journal: 9th Issue 2025
Science Step Journal: 8th Issue, March 2025
Search
Categories
Popular Tags