The Middle East Institute’s Arts & Culture Center is pleased to present a screening of A Thousand and One Berber Nights (2023) followed by an in-person Q&A with director Hisham Aidi. The documentary explores the life and legacy of Moroccan dancer Hassan Ouakrim and his role in introducing Berber dance to America as the protege of New York’s La Mama Theater founder, Ellen Stewart.
The film screening will be preceded by a reception and a gallery tour of the MEI Art Gallery’s new exhibition Arab Pop Art: Between East and West. Brief welcome remarks will be given by H.E. Mr. Youssef Amrani, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United States.
This captivating 54-minute documentary chronicles Ouakrim’s rich artistic journey from Marrakech to NYC’s iconic LaMama Theatre, and his tireless work to introduce Berber music and dance in America. Ouakrim passed away in July 2025 in New York City and left his mark as one of Morocco's most influential cultural ambassadors of Amazigh culture and heritage in the United States. The documentary is a vibrant exploration of identity, migration, and cultural exchange through the lens of one artist’s rich journey. It premiered at the 2024 New York African Film Festival and has been showcased at several international festivals, including Harlem, Dubai’s Cinema Akil, and Princeton.
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About the Director
Hisham Aidi is a Moroccan political scientist and filmmaker who teaches at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He is the author of numerous works, including Rebel Music: Race, Empire and the New Muslim Youth Culture, winner of the American Book Award. Aidi also teaches weekly classes in the New York City prison system, at Rikers Island. A Thousand and One Berber Nights (2023) is his first feature film—it was broadcast on Moroccan television channel 2M, and premiered at the New York African Film Festival and London Pan-African Festival. He also wrote and produced two short documentaries, Malcolm X and the Sudanese (2020) and Sister Aisha: Queen Mother of Harlem (2024).
The film screening is part of the public programming supporting the MEI Art Gallery’s current exhibition, Arab Pop Art: Between East and West.
Lead sponsorship by the Open Mind Project, additional support provided by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Washington, D.C.
