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Weekly highlights

Marrakech Film Festival: The factory of new talent

Supporting emerging

talent

“Les Ateliers de l’Atlas” is ano-
ther of the festival’s young talent
factories. Initiated in 2018, this
talent development program sup-
ports the emergence of a new ge-
neration of Moroccan, Arab and
African filmmakers, and creates a
space for exchanges between inter-
national professionals and regional
talent. In five editions, Ateliers de
l’Atlas has supported 111 projects
and films, including 48 Moroccan
projects and films. In recent years,
several films supported by Ateliers “e”
de l’Atlas have been selected and
awarded prizes at major interna-
tional festivals. At the last Cannes
Film Festival, four films supported
by the workshops were present in
various sections. Five Moroccan
films are part of the program for
this 20th edition, two of which are
in official competition. These are
“La mère de tous les mensonges”
(“The Mother of All Lies” ) by
A most impressive panel. World-famous film stars gathered to celebrate the festival’s 20th anniversary (Photo by Bziouat) Asmae El Moudir ( in the “Un
certain Regard” - A Certain Look
E LEGANCE and sobriety. section - Director’s Prize, Golden
This 20th edition of the Mar-
Eye (“Œil d’or” ) for Best Docu-
rakech International Film
Festival, which runs from Novem- mentary) and “Les meutes” ( The
ber 24 to December 02, may have Packs ) by Kamal Lazraq ( A Cer-
kept a low profile, out of respect tain Look - Jury Prize).. o
for the situation in Gaza, but ci-
nema still has a prominent place. David Lynch, Tilda Swinton, Leo-
Gone is the red carpet and its gla- nardo DiCaprio, Harvey Keitel, Jim
morous parade. No festive stage Jarmush, and many others, which
at the Jamaa El Fna square either, is enough to inspire future film-
but a selection of world cinema makers. Another opportunity for
with 75 films from 36 countries young directors to rub shoulders
divided into several sections and with some of cinema’s legends are
open to the general public free of the master classes initiated in 2005,
charge. This includes the official that have been transformed into
competition, gala screenings, spe- a more friendly “In Conversation
cial screenings, the 11th continent, with...” format. For each edition,
the panorama of Moroccan cinema, leading figures from the world of
screenings for young audiences, cinema are present in Marrakech to
and films shown as part of the tri- take part in the program. Actors, di-
butes... A special mention this year rectors, scriptwriters, and producers
goes to the Moroccan cinema in the are invited to share their visions and
spotlight, with no fewer than fifteen Two movie icons in Marrakech. Danish actor Mads Nikkelsen receiving a tribute trophy practices with the festival audience,
films presented in its various sec- from Willem Dafoe himself (Photo by Bziouat) with a mixture of tasty anecdotes
tions, including two in the running can cinema is writing a new page, more universal. Does the festival and off-the-cuff discussions. This
for the Golden Star. The movies with young directors asserting their have anything to do with this? year’s audience includes such lu-
running for awards include a thril- desire to move away from the social Looking back over its nineteen minaries as the legendary Willem
ler in the Casablanca underworld, drama and realism that have charac- editions, the festival has welcomed Dafoe, the magnetic Danish actor
a western movie on the edge of the terized Moroccan cinema since its some of the biggest names in world Mads Mikkelsen, and the iconic
desert, and an apocalyptic roadtrip beginnings in the 1960s, towards a cinema: Martin Scorsese, Francis Tilda Swinton, among others. o
in the Atlas Mountains... Moroc- genre cinema that aims to be much Ford Coppola, Isabelle Huppert, A.BO
Friday 1st December 2023