As a film enthusiast with over three decades of immersion in the world of cinema, I must say that the Marrakech Film Festival lineup this year is nothing short of extraordinary. Having attended festivals across the globe, from Cannes to Sundance, I’ve seen a plethora of films and met countless directors, actors, and industry professionals. Yet, the diversity and quality of this festival’s selection truly stands out.
The Marrakech Film Festival, kicking off on Friday with the timely thriller “The Order” by Justin Kurzel, offers over 70 movies in its selection, a tradition of blending established films with new offerings.
The Screening Schedule” includes some of the highlights from the event, such as Nabil Ayouch’s feminist musical drama “Everybody Loves Touda,” Walter Salles’ “I’m Still Here,” and Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” All these films will be presented with their respective directors in attendance.
The competition features 14 entries, with a focus on initial and follow-up pieces. It includes “Across the Sea,” a melodrama by Moroccan director Saïd Hamich Benlarbi about North African refugees in Marseilles, as well as Hind Meddeb’s documentary “Sudan, Remember Us,” which honors the Sudanese people and culture by documenting their 2019 revolution. Notably, “Sudan, Remember Us” is one of the films backed by the fest’s Atlas Workshops industry program, designed to nurture and support the rise of a new wave of Moroccan, Arab, and African filmmakers.
Competition submissions also feature “Under the Volcano,” directed by Polish filmmaker Damian Kocur, which follows a Kyiv family whose prolonged stay in Spain is made permanent due to Ukraine’s invasion; “The Village Next to Paradise” by Somali director Mo Harawe, marking the first ever Somali film screened at Cannes; and “The Wolves Always Come at Night,” a climate change documentary by Australian/U.K. director Gabrielle Brady, detailing a Mongolian sheep-herding family who are compelled to abandon their traditional lifestyle following an exceptionally harsh winter.
This year’s distinguished attendees will feature Sean Penn and David Cronenberg, both of whom are being recognized, along with Jeff Nichols, the director of “The Bikeriders,” who will be guiding the Atlas Workshops.
Luca Guadagnino will lead an esteemed jury composed of Ali Abbasi (Iranian director), Zoya Akhtar (Indian director), Patricia Arquette (American actor), Virginie Efira (Belgian actor), Jacob Elordi (Australian actor), Andrew Garfield (British-American actor), Nadia Kounda (Moroccan actor), and Santiago Mitre (Argentine director).
One of the unique features of a significant cultural occasion in Morocco, specifically Marrakech, is that it hosts one of the few international festivals on such a grand scale, offering free screenings and masterclasses for all members of the public to attend.
See the main lineup below.
OFFICIAL COMPETITION
“Across the Sea,” by Saïd Hamich Benlarbi (France, Morocco, Belgium)
“Bound in Heaven,” by Huo Xin (China)
“The Cottage,” by Silvina Schnicer (Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Chile)
Season’s Greetings,” by Multinational Artist (Palestine, Germany, France, Italy, Qatar & Japan, U.S.)
“Jane Austen Wrecked My Life,” by Laura Piani (France)
“The Cry of Silence,” by The Maw Naing (Myanmar, Singapore, France, Norway, South Korea, Qatar) could be paraphrased as “Silent Lament,” by The Maw Naing (Myanmar, Singapore, France, Norway, South Korea, Qatar).
“Whispering Tempests” (Les Tempêtes), by Dania Reymond-Boughenou (France, Belgium)
“The Order,” by Justin Kurzel (Canada) — Opening Film
“Everybody Loves Touda,” by Nabil Ayouch (France, Morocco, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway)“Fourth Wall,” by David Oelhoffen (France, Luxembourg, Belgium)“I’m Still Here,” by Walter Salles (Brazil, France)“The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” by Mohammad Rasoulof (Germany, France, Iran)
“The Shrouds,” by David Cronenberg (France, Canada)
“The Ties That Bind Us,” by Carine Tardieu (France, Belgium)
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
“The Films ‘All We Imagine as Light’ by Payal Kapadia (from France, India, Netherlands, and Luxembourg), ‘Apocalypse in the Tropics’ by Petra Costa (Brazil) – Documentary, and ‘Bird’ by Andrea Arnold (U.K.)
Documentary titled ‘The Edge of Dreams,’ authored by Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir, hails from Egypt, France, Denmark, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia
The restored version of ‘The Camp at Thiaroye,’ a film written by Ousmane Sembène and co-produced by Thierno Faty Sow from Senegal, Algeria, and Tunisia, was released in 1988.
“Conclave,” by Edward Berger (USA, U.K.)
“Diaries From Lebanon,” by Myriam El Hajj (Lebanon, France, Qatar) Documentary
“Fanon,” by Jean-Claude Barny (France, Luxembourg, Canada)
Luis Ortega’s ‘Kill the Jockey,’ hailing from Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Denmark, and the United States
“On Becoming a Guinea Fowl,” by Rungano Nyoni (Zambia, U.K.)
“Stranger Eyes,” by Yeo Siew Hua (Singapore, Taiwan, France, U.S.)
Exploring an Unfamiliar Territory,” by Mahdi Fleifel (Originating from the U.K., Palestine, France, Greece, Netherlands, Germany, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia)
“The Vanishing,” by Karim Moussaoui (France, Germany, Tunisia)
“Who Do I Belong To,” by Meryam Joobeur (Tunisia, France, Canada)
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2024-11-30 11:17