Erige Sehiri’s Promised Sky soars to victory at Marrakech
- The poetic drama has also netted Best Actress, while Oscar Hudson’s Straight Circle picked up Best Director and a Special Mention for its twin leads
After nine days filled with screenings, conversations, tributes and industry gatherings, the 22nd edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival (28 November-6 December) has concluded with an awards ceremony held at the city’s Palais des Congrès.
Chaired by South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho, the competition jury brought together an eclectic group of international creators: Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz, Moroccan filmmaker Hakim Belabbes, French helmer Julia Ducournau, Iranian actor-director Payman Maadi, US star Jenna Ortega, Canadian-Korean director Celine Song and British-Argentinian actress Anya Taylor-Joy.
The Étoile d’Or, the festival’s top prize, was awarded to Promised Sky [+see also:
film review
interview: Erige Sehiri
film profile] by Tunisian filmmaker Erige Sehir. The jury recognised it as a “daring film with a different vision of the world and a rare poetic energy, yet one that is deeply rooted in reality”. They further honoured “the courage of cinema that invites us to reconsider our relationship with others and with ourselves”. Debora Lobe Naney, who plays the film’s central role, also won the Award for Best Performance by an Actress, marking a significant double triumph for Promised Sky.
The Jury Prize was awarded ex aequo to two documentaries exploring intimate stories against the backdrop of sweeping historical narratives: Jihan K’s My Father and Qaddafi and Vladlena Sandu’s Memory [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Vladlena Sandu
film profile]. British filmmaker Oscar Hudson picked up the Best Directing Award for Straight Circle [+see also:
film review
interview: Oscar Hudson
film profile], praised for its “formal rigor and artistic inventiveness, which made a lasting impression”. The film’s twin leads, Elliot Tittensor and Luke Tittensor, also received a Special Mention for their “remarkable precision”. The Award for Best Performance by an Actor went to Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù for his powerful turn in Akinola Davies Jr’s My Father’s Shadow [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Akinola Davies Jr
film profile].
Besides these prizes, the festival also paid tribute to several icons of world cinema. Jodie Foster received an Étoile d’Or for Lifetime Achievement, before delivering an impassioned speech reflecting on her relationship with cinema. Egyptian star Hussein Fahmi was honoured for his long-standing ties to Moroccan cinema, moving the audience with memories stretching back to the festival’s inaugural edition. A further tribute was dedicated to Moroccan grande dame Raouya, celebrated as a pillar of the nation’s film heritage. Guillermo del Toro, a familiar friend of the festival, was also recognised with an Étoile d’Or, and he called Marrakech “a haven for filmmakers young and old, and a window on world cinema”.
The Conversations programme welcomed Bong Joon Ho, Guillermo del Toro, Jodie Foster, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer, Jafar Panahi, Tahar Rahim and Yousra, offering audiences rich insights into global cinematic creativity. The festival also welcomed a record-breaking 47,000 viewers, including 7,000 children and teenagers attending the Young Audiences and Family programme.
Here is the full list of this year’s award winners:
Étoile d’Or
Promised Sky [+see also:
film review
interview: Erige Sehiri
film profile] – Erige Sehiri (France/Tunisia)
Jury Prize (ex aequo)
My Father and Qaddafi – Jihan K (USA/Libya)
Memory [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Vladlena Sandu
film profile] – Vladlena Sandu (France/Netherlands)
Best Directing
Oscar Hudson – Straight Circle [+see also:
film review
interview: Oscar Hudson
film profile] (UK)
Best Performance by an Actress
Debora Lobe Naney – Promised Sky
Best Performance by an Actor
Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù – My Father’s Shadow [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Akinola Davies Jr
film profile] (UK/Ireland/Nigeria)
Special Mention (Acting)
Elliot Tittensor, Luke Tittensor – Straight Circle
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