Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s documentaries ”Morocco seen from the sky” & “Algeria seen from the sky” which explore the beauty of Morocco and Algeria from a helicopter.
The 71-year old director said one of the most memorable shots was of the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, which, “with [its] fervor, left an impression on him.” The Frenchman noted that even though he does not believe in God, behind the mosque there was a “form of utopia” that interested him.
Arthus-Bertrand told Huffpost Maroc that “Moroccans are in love with their country” and this was reflected by their friendliness to him, noting that even the gendarmerie were “very, very nice and did the most” to help the television crew.
The Frenchman said he had received one negative response since the program was aired, from a Moroccan who was unhappy that Agadir had not been featured. However, the director defended himself saying they had gone to shoot in Agadir, but they did not obtain good work, so they decided not to include it.
The documentary is narrated by French-Moroccan journalist Ali Baddou, whose parents come from Fes and Meknes.
Arthus-Bertrand also plans to publish a new book on Morocco, his first on the country since his book “Morocco seen from above” was released in 1993.
In an interview with Le Figaro, Arthus-Bertrand said the aerial documentary was a sequel to ”Algeria seen from the sky” which received an “incredible positive” response. The director continued that he had received many touching messages from Algerians who “rediscovered their country and caused a certain pride,” and consequently he hoped that Moroccans would react similarly.
“I’ve been dreaming of this documentary for a decade” Arthus-Bertrand in an interview to Le Figaro.
“Algeria is probably the most spectacular country I have ever photographed, and it is also the one where I received the best reception” admitted Arthus-Bertrand on his website
For two years, the photographer and his co-director Yazid Tizi traveled over 2 million square kilometers to reveal the secrets of the modern north facing Europe, dominated by Algiers and Oran, at the Agricultural and Traditional Center. The mystical and inaccessible South, the kingdom of the desert.
