Martin Scorsese's May 22 Cannes launch of the World Cinema Foundation will include a rare Moroccan film entitled Transes, shot in 1981 by director Ahmed El Maanouni and restored by Italy's Cineteca di Bologna.

The film focuses on the musical ensemble Nass-El Ghiwane.

The World Cinema Foundation is set to follow similar goals as the US-based Film Foundation, which was also founded by Scorsese in 1990. It will act as a non-profit organization that aims to provide financial assistance for preservation, restoration and screening of films. The WCF will focus on projects from Africa, Latin America, Asia and Central Europe.

Other restored pictures to be shown at Cannes are Limit (1931), by Brazilian director Mario Peizoto. That film is restored by the Cinemateca Brasileira VideoFilmes, the Mario Peixoto institute with the participation of Arte France and introduced by Brazilian director Walter Salles.

Another title, Forest of the Hanged is a Romanian film from 1964 by Liviu Ciule, restored by the National Film Archive of Romania and introduced by Cristi Puiu.

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