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 [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] 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 [+leggi anche:
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scheda film]. British filmmaker Oscar Hudson picked up the Best Directing Award for Straight Circle [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], 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 [+leggi anche:
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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 [+leggi anche:
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Jury Prize (ex aequo)
My Father and Qaddafi – Jihan K (USA/Libya)
Memory [+leggi anche:
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Best Directing
Oscar Hudson – Straight Circle [+leggi anche:
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Best Performance by an Actress
Debora Lobe Naney – Promised Sky

Best Performance by an Actor
Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù – My Father’s Shadow [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Akinola Davies Jr.
scheda film] (UK/Ireland/Nigeria)
Special Mention (Acting)
Elliot Tittensor, Luke Tittensor – Straight Circle