Daniel Grabner’s 2003 documentary Haschich is a fascinating look into the world of hashish artisans living in Ketama, Morocco.
Simple yet filled with detail, the film reveals the daily rituals revolving around the production and business of hash and the centuries-old society of the men who make it. For many of us, hashish evokes a certain exotic mystique, but Grabner’s film shows us that the production of hashish is as ordinary as the work clothes worn by its producers. The end result may be something sought out by connoisseurs of mind-altering smoke willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a finger-sized chunk of Moroccan Caramello, but the process of its creation is far less romantic than the dreams that smoke will generate.
Beautifully photographed and with a lovely soundtrack of traditional Moroccan music, Haschich is so intimate that you can practically smell and taste the sweetness of its subject.
One thing that has always fascinated me about the Islamic world is that, while alchohol is forbidden, pot isn’t, so that in countries like Morocco or Afghanistan, reasonably devout Muslims will occasionally fire up a doobie.
Jan 05, 2012
Brick says:
Kudos to the filmmaker - I can’t imagine how he earned their trust to film them.
As someone who lived in Morocco years ago, this makes me nostalgic for the people, their stories and lack of pretense. Even when you think you are being ripped off or bullshitted, they are quite congenial.
Still, I wish the filmmaker would have done more with the subject. Even though they’re often puffing on kif in those long pipes, it doesn’t even get mentioned. Kif is the leaves of the plant, mixed with a little tobacco, smoked throughout the day. Very light buzz compared to what most cannabis smokers are used to, but tasty. Hashish is heated up and mashed together with tobacco (usually from Marlboro Reds) and rolled into a joint. (I know this isn’t news to European smokers.) It will knock you on your ass if you’re not used to the tobacco.
Jan 05, 2012
Monica says:
Like your comment, Brick…
Jan 07, 2012
Col Mcg says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqFiucWKo-8
Jan 07, 2012
DeeLarke says:
This is laos a nice film on the true Moroccan strains and methods of hash production:
http://documentaryheaven.com/strain-hunters-morocco-expedition-by-green-house-seed-co/
Jan 07, 2012
DeeLarke says:
*also, not laos. Apologies.
Feb 07, 2012
rifino says:
Hello everyone I am Moroccan kif farmer in Morocco along the hose nozzle is (sebsi) in Morocco if someone needs to savoire more here is my address (nhaslim@hotmail.fr) kif from the rif and a good documentary done by englais youtube
