Kiss scene filmed in Morocco sparks outcry over moral decay

An Italian film has caused a national scandal in Morocco, as a kiss-scene controversy ignited debates on the country’s alleged moral decay.

The kiss was filmed in the country’s April 9 square; a location freighted with historical symbolism linked to Morocco’s anti-colonial struggle, reports the Moroccan-friendly outlet, Hespress, on June 30. Within the Kingdom’s conservative context, the scene quickly sparked national outrage, drawing formal condemnation from a Moroccan rights group. The group’s statement, published on June 29, urged an investigation into how the offensive display slipped past the country’s strict regulations in the first place.

In the highly conservative kingdom of Morocco, public indecency is a serious offense enshrined in the constitution. Article 483 of the Penal Code carries up to a two-year sentence along with a 500 dirham fine for any act that “offends modesty…in the sight of others.”

It is this vague provision that the Center for the Protection of Social Rights and Development accused the filmmakers of violating. They deemed it a “brazen breach of public morality,” filmed multiple times in a crowded public square, “in full view of families, children, and passersby…inappropriate for public space.”

The group says the scene was filmed without what it calls a “full technical crew,” raising doubts about whether the production was properly supervised. It insinuated that Moroccan authorities— including the Moroccan Cinema Center and the Tangier municipal government—did not know the content.

The statement placed responsibility on the Cinema Center to clarify whether the scene had been included in the original script submitted for permits. If it was, the Center demands answers about how it passed through official channels. If not, it calls for legal action against the foreign producers and any Moroccan production companies that may have facilitated the shoot.

While the Center did not name the film, it claimed the scene fit into a broader narrative being pushed by “hostile regional media” portraying Morocco as a site of moral decline.

Currently, there has been no response from either the Cinema Center or local authorities, but filming is set to continue for the next eight weeks.

Hesspress/ Maghrebi