Yahoo Movies Marrakech Film Festival Roars Back With Star-Studded Lineup and Dynamic Local Showcase
After a two-year, pandemic-forced pause, the Marrakech Film Festival returns with a roar, hosting a comeback edition chock-full of stars and that will showcase an international competition of first and second films.
Running from Nov. 11 – 19, the festival’s 19th edition will also cap an already stellar year for the Moroccan film industry, as the cultural event hosts home-turf premieres for a slate of local productions that have enchanted the festival circuit.
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“This has been a very strong year for Moroccan cinema,” says Marrakech artistic director Rémi Bonhomme, pointing to projects like Maryam Touzani’s “The Blue Caftan,” (pictured), Fyzal Boulifa’s “The Damned Don’t Cry,” Yasmine Benkiran’s “Queens” and Adnane Baraka’s “Fragments of Heaven.”
“It’s quite historic that four Moroccan films were selected in Cannes, Venice, and Locarno this year. We see more and more Arab and African films play in international festivals and getting access to international distribution, and we’re so fortunate to be able to share those films [here].”
Of course, the Moroccan event has played an instrumental role in fueling such growth. Launched by Bonhomme in 2018, the festival’s industry focused Atlas Workshops spotlights African and Arab projects in various stages of development and post-production. Moving online while Marrakech’s screens went dark in 2020/21, the industry program has accompanied more than 80 projects over the past four years, ushering a new generation of filmmakers onto the international scene.
As Bonhomme sees it, such is the festival’s larger mission. “I think we have a huge potential to help new talents,” he explains. “The festival really has a role to play, giving visibility to films that premiere here, and also to films that have played in other festivals without getting the attention they deserve. Our competition can play an important role in discovering filmmakers worldwide.”
Indeed, the 14 films – 10 of which are first features, and six from female directors – competing for this year’s Etoile d’Or can bank on a serious signal boost as they screen at an edition anticipating 12,000 accredited guests including 500 professionals and visiting press.
The festival’s dazzling array of guests plays no small part in drawing international attention. Alongside this year’s jury — led by filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino and featuring actors Oscar Isaac, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim and Diane Kruger, and directors Susanne Bier, Justin Kurzel, Nadine Labaki, and Laila Marrakchi – Marrakech will welcome a bevy of high-profile participants, offering conversations with Jeremy Irons, Leos Carax, Jim Jarmusch, and Julia Ducournau – among many more.
And the fact that two of this year’s guests of honor, Tilda Swinton and James Gray, have both previously served as jury presidents is no happy accident. “Anyone who comes once always wants to come back,” says Bonhomme. “That’s what makes Marrakech unique: We create very personal links and relationships with filmmakers and actors who are eager to return.”
“Our distinct voice lies precisely in that meeting between young talents and the greatest personalities of world cinema,” adds EVP Faïçal Laraïchi. “Our ambition this year is to rediscover those great moments of exchange, collaboration, and conviviality between all the attending projects and professionals – something that was inevitably limited by our digital editions.”
“We want to present a crossroads between world and emerging cinema,” Laraïchi continues. “To discover new talents and open up perspectives while remaining attentive to the evolutions that are rapidly transforming the industry. This is the solid anchor we cultivate not only with the professional community, but also with the Moroccan public, who are loyal and increasingly open to world cinema.”
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