The great Jemaa el Fna, or “Square of the Hanged” in Marrakesh is the scene of numerous circus acts and street performances that take place daily – acrobats, dancers, singers, snake whisperers, magicians and fortuneteller all vie for the public’s attention – along with the last of Morocco’s storytellers. Animating the curiosity of onlookers and passersby, they draw listeners into a ‘halqa’ – or the storyteller’s circle.
Thomas Ladenburger’s documentary film offers a glimpse into the vibrant tradition of Moroccan storytelling – an oral tradition much like that of the wandering storytellers, musicians and street jugglers who wandered the roads of Europe until well into the 19th century. Ladenburger began filming in the square in 2005, and was able to witness the slow demise of this unique tradition, which today has been rightfully acknowledged by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.