Essaouira Medina hosts Esther and Salma until 11 October

Essaouira Medina (Médina d'Essaouira) is hosting Esther and Salma in Essaouira from 8 to 11 October 2026, bringing film, theatre, music, exhibitions and discussions to the Moroccan port city. The festival's theme is Crossing Borders, with several programme items linked directly to the medina and Bastion Bab Marrakech.

Esther and Salma brings four days to Essaouira

The third edition runs from Thursday 8 October to Sunday 11 October 2026. It is organised by the Esther and Salma Association in partnership with the Essaouira Mogador Association, and explores exile, memory, transmission and dialogue through several art forms. The programme is documented in the 2026 festival programme.

The opening on 8 October takes place at Bastion Bab Marrakech, with artist presentations and a reading of Marcher dans tes pas. The evening also includes Iqtibas and Terre de Sienne, a performance combining music, photography and poetry. The wider programme includes screenings, a masterclass, a round table, performances, readings and writing workshops.

Why the festival fits Essaouira Medina

The programme uses the historic town as more than a backdrop. On Saturday 10 October, a theatrical walk through the medina adapts George Orwell's 1984, linking the festival's theme of crossing borders with the streets and historic fabric of the old town.

UNESCO describes Essaouira as a fortified seaport town founded in the mid-eighteenth century and influenced by European military architecture. Its walls, ramparts and urban plan reflect its former role as an international trading port linking Morocco and the wider Atlantic world, as set out in the UNESCO World Heritage description. The setting therefore connects the festival's cultural programme with a place shaped by movement, exchange and different communities.

Film and performance reach the medina on 10 October

The Saturday programme is titled S'affranchir and includes the theatrical walk from 8.30am, followed by films and a discussion about the wounds of exile and identity. On Sunday 11 October, the programme turns to cinema, interfaith dialogue and music, ending with Sirat.

Other announced works include La Traversée, Seven Days, Straight Circle, La Dame blanche, Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Walk and Promis le ciel. The festival also places exhibitions, performances, readings, writing workshops and music in the contemporary souk and at Bastion Bab Marrakech.

Visiting Essaouira Medina: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Esther and Salma runs from 8 to 11 October 2026. The theatrical walk through the medina is scheduled for 10 October 2026.
• The programme uses Bastion Bab Marrakech, the contemporary souk and other cultural venues in Essaouira. Access varies by programme item, so the listed venue matters for each activity.
• The named medina locations are Bastion Bab Marrakech and the contemporary souk. The festival also uses cinema and cultural spaces elsewhere in Essaouira.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Essaouira Medina

When does Esther and Salma take place at Essaouira Medina?

The festival runs from 8 to 11 October 2026 in Essaouira, with a theatrical walk through the medina on 10 October 2026.

What is Essaouira Medina?

It is a mid-eighteenth-century fortified seaport town in Morocco and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Where is Essaouira Medina and how do you get there?

It is in the coastal city of Essaouira, where the festival programme names Bastion Bab Marrakech and the contemporary souk among its venues.