The opening ceremony was started by Moroccan pianist Marouane Benabdallah with a piece that he dedicated to the spirit of Moroccan artists, film and theater, who left the world between 2020 and 2022..
After that, the official competition jury rose to the podium, headed by Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, who expressed his happiness to be in Morocco..
The committee includes Danish director Suzanne Beyer, American producer Oscar Isaac, British actress Vanessa Kirby, Australian director Justin Kurzel, Lebanese actress Nadine Labaki, Moroccan director Leila Marrakchi and German actress Diane Kruger..
Over the course of eight days, the festival will screen 76 films from 33 countries from Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas as part of its various competitions and programs at the Palais des Congrès, Colisei Cinema, Yves Saint Laurent Museum and Djemaa El Fna Square..
The official competition includes 14 films representing the first or second work of their makers, including the film “The Caftan Blue” by Maryam Touzani, which Morocco has nominated for the Oscar for Best International Film..
At the opening, the festival screened the animated film “Pinocchio” by directors Guillermo del Toro from Mexico and Mark Gustafson from the United States..
The ceremony also witnessed the honoring of the Indian actor Ranveer Singh, who performed one of his dances on the stage and cheerfully expressed his happiness and pride in being in Marrakesh, saying, “I thank from my heart the organizers of the festival and the Moroccan people who show their admiration and love for Indian cinema.”“.
In addition to film screenings, the festival program includes interactive meetings with a number of international film stars and makers in the “Dialogue with” section, including French director Julia Ducornu, Swedish director Robin Ostlund, French composer of Lebanese origin Gabriel Yared and French actress Marina Foas..
As part of the festival’s activities, the fifth edition of the “Atlas Workshops” will be held, a program for the film industry and talent development that was launched for the first time in 2018 to serve as a platform for meeting and exchanging between international professionals and local talents in Morocco.
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