As a cinema connoisseur with a lifelong passion for global filmmaking, I am utterly captivated by the upcoming Marrakech International Film Festival and its Atlas Workshops. Having had the privilege of witnessing the emergence of talent from various corners of the world, I am thrilled to see such an initiative dedicated to nurturing a new generation of Moroccan, Arab, and African filmmakers.
American filmmaker Jeff Nichols, who has recently gained acclaim for his movie “The Bikeriders” at Cannes and Telluride, is set to serve as the main guide for the upcoming Marrakech International Film Festival’s Atlas Workshops. During this event, he will offer guidance and mentorship to selected film projects hailing from regions including the Middle East and North Africa.
Established in 2018, the Atlas Workshops serve as an industry-led program aimed at nurturing and backing a fresh wave of filmmakers from Morocco, the Arab world, and Africa. It offers a platform for interactions between international experts and local talents.
This year’s industry platform at the Marrakech festival encompasses 17 projects in development and 10 films currently being produced or post-produced, originating from a total of 13 different countries. These works were chosen from over 300 applications submitted to the workshop from various regions across Africa and the Arab world.
Prominent projects showcased at the workshops are “El Sett,” directed by esteemed Egyptian filmmaker Marwan Hamed (“The Yacoubian Building”), and “Alicante,” a first-time fiction film by Lina Soualem. “El Sett” is currently in post-production, with Egyptian star Mona Zaki portraying the iconic figure Umm Kulthum, who pioneered the dissemination of her music to the masses through new technologies like radio, phonograph, cinema, and television during the late 1920s. Another noteworthy project in development is “Alicante,” which delves into the story of Lina Soualem’s mother, actor Hiam Abbas, and her family who were displaced from Tiberias by the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, and has been launched from Venice and Toronto. Additionally, “Dar Marjana,” a film by U.S.-based Moroccan filmmaker Lamia Lazrak, is in development, with her capturing her family in Marrakech.
Nichols expressed his excitement about attending the amazing festival for the first time in a statement,” said Nichols. “Being appointed as Patron for this year’s Atlas Workshops is a great honor, and I feel fortunate to join these filmmakers on their journey,” he continued.
Below is the complete list of projects and films selected for the Atlas Workshops.
PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT
“Alicante,” Lina Soualem (Algeria) – first fiction film
“The Beastly One,” Walid Messanaou (Morocco) – first film
“Flowers of the Dead” (Flôr di Finado), Nuno Miranda (Cabo Verde) – first film
“Ici Repose” – directed by Moly Kane (Senegal) – first film
“Lucky Girl” (Chanceuse), Linda Lô (Senegal) – first film
“The Orange Grove,” – Murad Abu Eisheh (Jordan) – first film
“Princesse Téné,” Fabien Dao (Burkina Faso)– first film
“Pure Madness” (Pure Folie) – Inès Arsi (Tunisia) Doc – first film
“Samir, The Accidental Spy” (Samir, Espion Malgré Lui), Charlotte Rabate (Syria) – first film
“The Shelter” (Le Refuge), Talal Selhami (Morocco)
“The Source” (Al Madda), Mouloud Ouyahia (Algeria)– first film
“Your Turn, 2023,” Cynthia Sawma (Lebanon) – first film
ATLAS CLOSE-UPS (Moroccan projects in development)
“And Still I Rise” (À Balles Perdues , Mon Âme Gagné), Djanis BOUZYANI (Morocco) Doc – first film
“Dar Marjana,” Lamia Lazrak (Morocco) Doc – first film
“Fatwa,” Mohamed El Badaoui (Morocco)
“The Field” (Le Champ), Mohamed Bouhari (Morocco) – First Film
“The Nours” (Les Frères Nour), Yassine Iguenfer (Morocco) – First Film
FILMS IN PRODUCTION OR POST-PRODUCTION
“Aisha Can’t Fly Away,” Morad Mostafa (Egypt) – first film
“All That’s Left of You,” Cherien Dabis (Palestine)
“Bardi,” – Tala Hadid (Morocco)
“Behind The Palm Trees,” Meryem Benm’Barek (Morocco)
“Chronicles From a Siege Era,” Abdallah Al-Khatib (Palestine, Syria)
“In The Shadows of Good Fortune,” Babatunde Apalowo (Nigeria)
“It’s a Sad And Beautiful World,” Cyril Aris (Lebanon) – first fiction film
“Laundry” (Uhlanjujujo) Zamo Mkhwanazi (South Africa) – first film
“Once Upon a Time in Gaza,” Tarzan and Arab Nasser (Palestine)
ATLAS FILM SHOWCASE (film in final stages of editing and seeking a festival premiere)
“El Sett,” Marwan Hamed (Egypt)
The 21st edition of the fest is set to run Nov. 29 to Dec. 7 in the ancient Moroccan city.
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2024-10-25 10:17