The curtain rose on Friday evening at the Palais des Congrès in the ocher city, on the 21st edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM), in the presence of eminent personalities from the world of cinema, art, culture and media.
This new edition opened with great fanfare with the traditional parade of prestigious guests of the Festival and emblematic figures of Moroccan and international cinema who walked the red carpet to the acclamations of the public and the lenses of photographers representing different Moroccan and foreigners.
In a festive and friendly atmosphere, the public welcomed the president of the Jury of the official competition of this new edition, the Italian director, screenwriter, and producer, Luca Guadagnino, as well as the members of the Jury, namely the Iranian director Ali Abbasi , Indian director Zoya Akhtar, American actress Patricia Arquette, Belgian actress Virginie Efira, Australian actor Jacob Elordi, British-American actor Andrew Garfield, Moroccan actress Nadia Kounda, and the Argentinian director Santiago Miter.
On this occasion, Guadagnino expressed his deep gratitude to King Mohammed VI and his warm thanks to Prince Moulay Rachid, President of the Marrakech International Film Festival Foundation, for having contributed to the growth and influence of this cultural event, expressing his great joy at chairing the jury for this new edition.
“For me, Marrakech and cinema are the same thing, namely the mystery of the image, the power of editing, of contrast, the beauty and the overflowing force which animate the cinema that I love, which, for me, embody Marrakech and Morocco,” he underlined.
He said, moreover, that he was happy to “share this journey with magnificent filmmakers, many of whom are already dear friends and who, I am convinced, will become so for life, thanks to this common experience”, adding that together “we will live in the company of first and second feature films which will make us discover so many things that we ignore”.
Subsequently, the 21st edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival was officially declared open by Guadagnino and the members of the Jury.
The opening ceremony was also marked by the screening of the film “The Order”, the gripping police thriller directed by Justin Kurzel, returning to the Marrakech Festival after winning the jury prize for his first film in 2011 and having is part of the jury for its 19th edition in 2022.
During this edition, fourteen feature films are in the running to win the “Golden Star” in the official competition.
These are “La Mer au Loin” by Saïd Hamich Benlarbi (Myanmar, Singapore, France, Norway, South Korea, Qatar), “Sudan, remember” by Hind Meddeb (France, Tunisia, Qatar), “ Under the Volcano” by Damian Kocur (Poland), “The Village Next to Paradise” by Mo Harawe (Austria, France, Germany, Somalia), “The Wolves Always Come at Night” by Gabrielle Brady (Australia, Mongolia, Germany), “Bound in Heaven” by Huo Xin (China) and “Ma–Cry of silence” by The Maw Naing (Myanmar, Singapore, France, Norway, South Korea, Qatar).
Also competing in this competition are “Perfumed with Mint” by Muhammed Hamdy (Egypt, Qatar, Tunisia, France), “Les Tempêtes” by Dania Reymond-Boughenou (France, Belgium), “One of Those Days When Hemme Dies” by Murat Fıratoğlu (Turkey), “Happy Holidays” by Scandar Copti (Palestine, Germany, France, Italy, Qatar), “The Cottage” by Silvina Schnicer (Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Chile), “Happyend” by Neo Sora (Japan, United States) and “Jane Austen ruined my life” by Laura Piani (France).
In addition to the films in competition, the Marrakech International Film Festival will present a selection of films divided into several sections. These are the official competition, gala screenings, special screenings, the 11th continent, the panorama of Moroccan cinema, young audience and family screenings as well as films screened as part of the tributes.
Furthermore, the “Conversations” program returns this year with 18 key personalities from the film industry, from 6 continents, who, between tasty anecdotes and open discussions on their vision and practice of the profession, are invited to exchange freely with festival-goers.
For this 21st edition, personalities are expected, most of whom have won awards at the Oscars, the Golden Globes, as well as the Cannes Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival and the Berlinale. These include American director, screenwriter and producer Tim Burton, Canadian director and screenwriter David Cronenberg, and Mexican director, screenwriter and producer Alfonso Cuaro n
American director and screenwriter Ava DuVernay, American director and screenwriter Todd Haynes, Australian director and screenwriter Justin Kurzel, director, French screenwriter François Ozon, and British actress Gemma Arterton, will also be there.
The panorama of Moroccan Cinema invites you to discover 5 fictions and documentaries made by Moroccan filmmakers, three of which are being revealed as world or international premieres. Moroccan cinema will be particularly highlighted with a total of 12 films, presented in the different sections of the festival.
The Marrakech International Film Festival will also pay vibrant tribute to three great figures of national and world cinema, whose contribution and influence have strongly marked the cinematographic landscape, namely the late Moroccan actress Naïma El Mcherqui, the American actor and director Sean Penn and Canadian director David Cronenberg.
