With less than a month away from kickoff, the Marrakech International Film Festival « FIFM » has unveiled the films in competition, out of competition, and a variety of special screenings, with some A-list celebrities attending the festivities.
Seventy-five films from 36 countries are screening in several sections: the Official Competition; Gala Screenings; Special Screenings; The 11th Continent; a Panorama of Moroccan Cinema; Cinema for Young Audiences; screenings on Jemaa El Fna; and Tributes to figures of world cinema.
Martin Scorsese’s “Shine a Light”, a documentary on the Rolling Stones is on the program.
Several A-list celebrities, such as Simon Baker and Alexander Payne will be taking part in the screenings.
A wide range of cinematic genres are explored in the films nominated for the Étoile d’Or, including political farce, romance, family drama, and modern fable, documentary, and film noir.
The 14 filmmakers who were chosen for the Official Competition have created films that explore several issues, reflecting their unique visions and creators.
Featuring the dynamic Glen Powell, filmmaker Richard Linklater’s fast-paced comedy “Hit Man” opens this 20th edition of the festival.
16 modern films are shown at Special Screenings, many of which are directed by well-known figures including Nikolaj Arcel, Bertrand Bonello, Monia Chokri, Agnieszka Holland, Ladj Ly, and Alice Rohrwacher.
In addition, the program features fresh faces like Gabor Reisz, Sudabeh Mortezai, and Sofia Alaoui.
Returning to the event is actress Isabelle Huppert, who will be performing in Elise Girard’s “Sidonie in Japan”.
Thirteen screenings, geared toward young people aged four to eighteen, are part of the Cinema for Young Audiences program, which aims to increase awareness among future generations of moviegoers.
The 11th Continent program, which consists of 13 avant-garde drama and documentary films, facilitates discussion between modern films and iconic productions that have shaped the course of cinema history.
The latest films by highly regarded directors Kleber Mendonça Filho, Lisandro Alonso, and Mona Achache are included in the list, along with movies from a fresh batch of bold auteurs including Alain Kassanda, Rosine Mbakam, Vlad Petri, and Eduardo Williams.
A selection of films starring or created by the individuals to whom the festival pays tribute this year are available in the Tributes program. The remaining 75 films in the event’s lineup will be screened at the Palais des Congrès, the Cinéma le Colisée, and Jemaa El Fna Plaza.