Libyan filmmaker Mouayed Zabtia shoots most scenes for his latest film inside a modest studio he built at his home in Tripoli - a necessity in a country where cinema has all but disappeared.
Before the 1969 coup that brought Moamer Kadhafi to power, Libya’s capital boasted more than 20 movie theatres. Today, there are none.
“Now, if you want to watch a film in a cinema, you have to go abroad,” Zabtia told AFP, highlighting the stark decline of an industry once vibrant in Tripoli.
Although Kadhafi was overthrown and killed in 2011, and strict censorship has eased, the legacy of his rule continues to weigh heavily on Libyan cinema. Under his regime, films were viewed as a form of foreign cultural intrusion. Only state-approved productions were funded, while movie theatres were discouraged as places of uncontrolled public gathering.
Many filmmakers hoped the 2011 revolution would revive the artform, but years of political instability and lack of official support have stalled any meaningful recovery.
“The biggest issue since 2011 is disinterest from successive governments,” Zabtia said. “We expected support, but it never came.”
Now 47, Zabtia has financed all his projects himself, relying on income from a production company he founded in 2001, initially focused on television dramas and wedding videos. It was only after the revolution that he finally turned to cinema - a lifelong ambition.
Inside his dimly lit home studio, Zabtia manages every aspect of production, from lighting and sound to costumes, as a small crew works on his latest film, 1986. The project is inspired by real events from 1980s Libya, a period marked by repression and a generation yearning for freedom. It also draws on the story of pioneering singer Ahmed Fakroun, who was forced into exile after Kadhafi cracked down on Western-influenced music.
Today, Zabtia says censorship is no longer the main barrier to filmmaking. Instead, filmmakers face logistical hurdles, social resistance, and a lack of public engagement.
Filming outdoors remains particularly difficult. “You need large crews, food, equipment, and police coordination,” he said. “We don’t have that infrastructure, and people aren’t used to seeing film cameras in the streets.”
Social attitudes also pose challenges, especially when it comes to portraying women on screen. Some view cinema as conflicting with moral values, Zabtia noted. Still, he insists women are essential to storytelling. “It’s impossible to make a film without women. There are many talented women, but they’re afraid to step forward.”
Despite the obstacles, authorities have made limited efforts to revive cinema, including hosting festivals and establishing the Libyan Film Institute in 2021.
A few Libyan films have also found international recognition. Freedom Fields, a documentary by Libyan-British director Naziha Arebi about women footballers, screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018. In 2023, Donga, a documentary on the 2011 uprising by Muhannad Lamin, was shown at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.
Although cinema still lacks a domestic market, Zabtia believes this absence of competition could become an opportunity - especially through global streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
“Our goal is to develop and showcase Libyan talent, creativity, and stories to the world,” he said.
