The 20th Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM) has opened its doors, welcoming directors and industry leaders to celebrate the art of cinema. The festival, which will run until December 2, began with American actress Jessica Chastain as president of the jury.
Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen was honored with a lifetime achievement award for his notable contributions to films such as “Another Round,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and “Casino Royale,” where he played a memorable James Bond villain.
In an interview, Mads Mikkelsen expressed his gratitude, saying: “Marrakech welcomed the Scandinavian directors ten years ago with a tribute to them. So we have a common history with them, and they helped us make a name for ourselves. We are very grateful to them.”
British actress Tilda Swinton highlighted the importance of film festivals, saying that “film festivals celebrate the opportunity in cinema to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and arrive at a certain agreement on human experience. So film festivals are still relevant.”
Mélita Toscan du Plantier, director of the Marrakech International Film Festival, highlighted this year’s busy program with great films and great directors. The festival features a mainly female jury made up of six women and three men.
Despite challenges such as the war between Israel and Hamas and a recent earthquake in Morocco, organizers aim to showcase films from Morocco, the Middle East and Africa. The festival will pay tribute to Moroccan director Faouzi Bensaidi and will offer a development program chaired by director Martin Scorsese.
The opening film, Richard Linklater’s action comedy “Hit Man,” set the tone for the festival. More than 70 films, including Michel Franco’s “Memory” starring Jessica Chastain and Matteo Garrone’s Italian immigration drama “Io Capitano,” are expected to be shown.
Despite protests across North Africa and the Middle East against the war in Gaza, the Marrakech International Film Festival stands as a bastion of peace, bringing people together for discovery, empathy and sharing. The festival, along with the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, is taking place as other regional festivals, including the Cairo International Film Festival and the Carthage Film Festival in Tunisia, have been canceled due to ongoing conflicts.
Prince Moulay Rachid, head of the foundation responsible for the festival, stressed that it was an invitation to discovery, empathy and sharing. The Marrakech International Film Festival will run until December 2, promising a celebration of cinema despite the global challenges it faces.