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This year’s edition of the Marrakech Intl. Film Festival includes an unprecedented number of Moroccan films, including seven films in the new Morocco Panorama sidebar, and a tribute to local actor/director Jillali Ferhati.

When the festival was launched in 2001, Moroccan cinema was in a relatively fragile state and one of the fest’s key goals was to reinforce the local industry, which now seems to be paying dividends.

Over recent years, Moroccan cinema has enjoyed significant popular success at home and also rising international acclaim, as shown by the fact that several of the films playing in the Morocco Panorama have also screened at fests such as Berlin, Cannes and Venice.

Local filmmakers include both powerful male and female helmers, as reflected in the Morocco Panorama.

The fest’s artistic director Christoph Terhechte says that he hopes its international guests will discover the best of recent Moroccan cinema,...

Kent Jones’ “Diane,” Eva Trobisch’s “All Good” and Lila Aviles’ “The Chambermaid” are among the 14 features competing at the revamped Marrakech Film Festival, which opened Friday and runs to Dec. 8.

“Diane,” which world premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and won three awards, stars Mary Kay Place (“The Big Chill”) as a mother desperately trying to bond with her son, who suffers from drug addiction. The movie was executive produced by Martin Scorsese.

“All Good,” Trobisch’s debut, revolves around a young woman who is raped but refuses to be a victim. The movie was a standout at Locarno, where it won the first-feature competition.

“The Chambermaid,” from Mexican theater actress-turned-helmer Aviles, premiered in Toronto’s Discovery section and won two awards at the Morelia Film Festival. The movie portrays Eve, a young chambermaid working at Mexico City’s classy Hotel Presidente Internacional. Trobisch and Aviles’ pics are among...

Festival to kick off with Julian Schnabel’s At Eternity’s Gate.

The Marrakech International Film Festival (Nov 30-Dec 8) has revealed its 2018 line-up, jury and honorary awards.

The Moroccan festival has been running since 2001, but took a year off in 2017 to “reflect on its editorial line”.

The competition line-up features 14 films from first or second-time directors. Six of the films competing for the Marrakech Etoile d’Or (or the Gold Star) are directed by women. Among the line-up is Sudabeh Mortezai’s Joy, Kent Jones’ Diane and Eva Trobisch’s All Good.

The festival opens with a gala screening of...

At Eternity's Gate Photo: Courtesy of New York Film Festival The Marrakech International Film Festival - which will run from November 30 to December 8 - has announced its official selection, featuring 80 films from 29 countries.

Fourteen films will join the strong competition line-up, including Locarno Best First Feature and Fipresci prize winner All Good, Tribeca Narrative Feature winner Diane and San Sebastian Silver Shell winner Benjamín Naishtat's Rojo. Also included are London Film Festival Best Film winner Joy and Lila Avilés' The Chambermaid. Six of the selection are directed by women.

The official selection jury president will be director James Gray. He will be joined by Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay, actors Daniel Bruhl, Dakota Johnson and Ileana D'Cruz, Moroccan director Tala Hadid, French helmer Laurent Cantet, visual artist Joana Hadjithomas and Mexican director Michel Franco.

The festival has also announced it will pay tribute to Moroccan filmmaker Jillali Ferhati, whose films include Bamboo Brides and.

The 17th Marrakech International Film Festival (Nov 30 – Dec 08) has set a jury comprising Suspiria star Dakota Johnson, Indian actress Ileana D’Cruz (Barfi!), Lebanese filmmaker and visual artist Joana Hadjithomas (I Want To See), Brit director Lynne Ramsay (We Need To Talk About Kevin), Moroccan director Tala Hadid (House In The Fields), French director Laurent Cantet (The Class), German actor Daniel Brühl (Rush) and Mexican director Michel Franco (April’s Daughter). As previously revealed, director James Gray will serve as jury president.

A total of 80 films will unspool at the festival, with Julian Schnabel’s Van Gogh biopic At Eternity’s Gate among gala screenings and also the festival’s opener. Other galas include Roma, Green Book and Capernaum while special screenings include Wildlife, Her Smell and Birds Of Passage. The official competition, galas and special screenings are listed below.

The festival will also feature tributes to Robert DeNiro, Robin Wright,...

Laila Marrakchi's family drama "Rock the Casbah," starring screen legend Omar Sharif, is among the titles picked to compete for the festival's Muhr Arab competition plaudit.

London -- Laila Marrakchi's family drama Rock the Casbah, the follow-up to the filmmaker's Marock, is one of a slew of titles to be scheduled to unspool as part of the 10th edition the Muhr Arab competition strand at the upcoming Dubai International Film Festival (Diff).

Marrakchi's movie features some of the Arab world’s most acclaimed actors including Hiam Abbass, Nadine Labaki, Lubna Azabal, Morjana Alaoui and icon Omar Sharif.

The film is set over three days in Tangiers, Morocco and revolves around the revelations and reconciliations between three sisters during a family gathering for the funeral of patriarch, Moulay Hassan (Sharif).

Story: Sean Gullette's Directorial Debut to Premiere at Dubai International Film Festival

Festival organizers also said award-winning Moroccan filmmaker Hicham...