21st edition 2024

For its 21^st edition, the Marrakech International Film Festival continued its founding mission of supporting the emergence of a new generation of talent and providing guidance alongside the development of cinema in Morocco and the region.

Building on the work carried out over the last several years by the Atlas Workshops, last year saw the launch of the Atlas Station, an initiative dedicated to young Moroccan professionals. The program aims to strengthen their skills and prepare them for a successful career in the film industry, thereby contributing to the structuring of a rapidly growing national industry.

The Atlas Distribution Awards were created to support and promote the distribution and circulation, in their home region, of films screened at the Marrakech International Film Festival and directed by talents from Morocco, the Arab world, and the African continent. Cash support is provided to the distributors of the selected films to assist with their theatrical release strategy in at least two countries in the Arab world and/or the African continent.

The festival’s desire to provide support was extended to film critics and journalists, with training sessions specially designed to promote the professionalization and influence of these key players in the regional film industry.

Three notable tributes marked the 21st edition: the first to the late Naïma El Mcherqui, an iconic figure of Moroccan cinema; a second to Sean Penn, the two-time Academy Award-winning US actor and director; and the third to Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg, an undisputed master of contemporary cinema.

The jury, chaired by Italian director Luca Guadagnino, awarded the Étoile d’Or to Happy Holidays by Palestinian filmmaker Scandar Copti.

This year, the Conversations program took place at the Meydene Theater, a unique setting for encounters between the public and significant names in world cinema. Among these were Tim Burton, Alfonso Cuarón, Ava DuVernay, and Justine Triet. A panel discussion about Moroccan cinema brought together Alaa Eddine Aljem, Yasmine Benkiran, Ismaël El Iraki, and Kamal Lazraq.

Through screenings, encounters, and shared emotions, once again the Marrakech International Film Festival reminded us how cinema can bring cultures together and reveal the talents of a changing world.