Private Project

The Changing World of Moroccan Hammams

In Morocco, traditional hammams are more than bathhouses —they are pillars of communal and cultural life. The Changing World of Moroccan Hammams follows Professor Magda Sibley and Architect Rachid Haloui as they return to Fez to revisit the 20 traditional hammams Magda first documented in 1999.

Mr. Haloui completed the first hammam rehabilitation projects of two 14th Century structures in 2018 in the world heritage city of Fez and the work was praised by the king of Morocco. With their old photographs in hand, they trace what remains: active community hubs, luxury spas or decaying ruins?

Narrated by bathing and travel enthusiast Francis Mathew, the film blends personal stories with rare access to reveal how historical and cultural threads are being torn apart and what is at stake. The documentary explores how ancient traditions endure or vanish in a rapidly changing world.

  • Petri Luukkainen
    Director
    The Spirit of the Löyly (2024)
  • Samuel Aarnio
    Producer
    The Spirit of the Löyly (2024), Mooska (2024)
  • Francis Matthew
    Key Cast
    "self"
  • Otso Reunanen
    Cinematographer
    The Spirit of the Löyly (2024), Every Tom, Dick and Urpo (2023), Skärgårdsvägen - Tur och retur (2022)
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    38 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 19, 2026
  • Country of Origin:
    Finland, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Morocco
  • Language:
    Arabic, English, French
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Petri Luukkainen

Petri Luukkainen (1984) is a director known for his high concept documentaries, often revolving around environment and identity. Petri's work reflects his "internet background" as a teenager, when he and his friends made low-resolution videos and GIF films for their own websites for the whole world to see in the late 1990s. From there, Petri started his career at the age of 17, directing everything from car commercials to a friend's wedding video - until he discovered documentary filmmaking.

His debut documentary My Stuff (2013) was a hit, playing in theaters worldwide and making the whole shabang and being transformed into a reality TV format Stripped (USA, UK, Germany..) and a fictional remake 100 Things (2018) by Warner Bros Pictures & Pantaleo. This led Petri to work around the world on independent productions or as a commissioned director for channels such as ARTE, BBC, DR, NRK, RUV, SVT, VIAPLAY, YLE....

In between long-term projects, Petri has participated in various video, photography and art projects out of personal interest or need to make a living. Commissioned clients include Time Magazine, BBC World Service, Wien Museum MUSA and Universal Music to name a few for the sake of name dropping. Currently Petri is based back in Finland.

SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY
‣ Game of Minds 2023 (doc series YLE, ARTE. napafilms, CORSO film)
‣ The Gamer 2023 (doc feature napafilms, CORSO film)
‣ Would You Eat This 2021 (doc series YLE, DR, NRK. RUV, SVT co-production)
‣ FOMO SHORT 2018 (series YLE Gimmeyawallet)
‣ NHL GLOBAL SERIES 2018 (Viaplay, Yellow)
‣ Just Boys 2018 (BBC Original series)
‣ In the Belly of the City 2017 (doc series 1 episode ARTE Stefilm)
‣ Road to Rio 2016 (series YLE Yellow)
‣ Mission in Helsinki 2015 (series YLE Yellow)
‣ Live at We Jazz 2014 (series Youtube)
‣ The Climate Game 2013 (doc short Unikino)
‣ My Stuff 2013 (doc feature Unikino)

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Director Statement

The Moroccan hammam is a masterpiece of sensory and social architecture. It is a place where neighborhoods find their identity and where the "soul" of a culture is preserved through the simple act of gathering. My goal with this film was to look beyond the steam and the zellige tiles to understand the precarious state of this living heritage.

Through the insights of architect Rachid Haloui and Professor Dr. Magda Sibly, we see that restoring a hammam is a deeply philosophical act of maintenance rather than a romanticized Western preservation. They show us that these buildings are technical marvels of heat and harmony. Yet, the testimony of attendee Francis Matthew and the local workers reminds us that a restored building is a hollow monument if the community is displaced by gentrification.

I wanted to capture the "pilgrimage" of the hammam—the childhood memories of dark, humid spaces and the vital social bonds formed in the gulsa rooms. This film is a call to action. By highlighting the historical importance and the current struggles of these bathhouses, we hope to inspire a resurgence of the practice. We must nurture these spaces so they remain a functional part of Moroccan civilization instead of becoming silent relics of the past.