Sociodemographic imagery of women in sexual and erotic ‘markets’ in Moroccan filmography

Abstract

Introduction. This article analyzes and offers a first database about the representation of the sexual and erotic markets of the Moroccan filmography, focusing on female figures: their sociodemographic characterization, the roles they play, and the liminal nature of the represented transactional sex practices. Methodology. The sample is based on the analysis of 51 characters of 30 films produced between 1958 and 2017. These films were selected, according to thematic lines, out of the total amount of 367 films contained in the catalog of the Centre de la Cinématographie Marocaine. Results. The most common profile are women who practice paid prostitution, between 15 and 25 years old, mostly single and without family responsibilities, in urban contexts. Discussion and Conclusions. The presence of characters belonging to the sexual and erotic markets is a constant in Moroccan cinema. Poverty is not always considered as a trigger; prostitution is also linked to the notions of sexual liberalization and access to spaces of freedom.