The Marrakech International Film Festival has unveiled the list of global names participating in the “Dialogues” program for its 22nd edition, set to take place at the end of November. This cinematic event is eagerly anticipated by film enthusiasts both in Morocco and beyond.
The “Dialogues” program is one of the festival’s most distinctive features, providing a space for reflecting on cinema and sharing a passion for it through live meetings that gather international creators before an audience. They will discuss their artistic experiences and visions regarding creativity in directing, acting, writing, and production, in an intimate atmosphere that blends dialogue and contemplation.
This year, the festival will host a selection of the world’s leading filmmakers, including South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, who won the Palme d’Or and four Academy Awards for his film “Parasite.” He will be joined by Mexican director and producer Guillermo del Toro, a three-time Oscar winner for his films “The Shape of Water” and “Pinocchio.”
Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to meet Australian director Andrew Dominik, known for his films “Chopper” and “Blonde,” as well as American actor Laurence Fishburne, one of Hollywood’s prominent stars, recognized for his powerful roles in films like “The Matrix” and “Boys in the Hood.”
American actress Jodie Foster, a two-time Oscar winner for her performances in “The Accused” and “The Silence of the Lambs,” will be a special guest at the “Dialogues” segment.
From India, Bollywood’s notable filmmaker Karan Johar will attend alongside Bill Kramer, the CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which presents the Oscars. Lebanese director Nadine Labaki, who won the Jury Prize at Cannes for her film “Capernaum,” and Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho, celebrated for his internationally awarded films “Bacurau” and “The Fit” will also be present.
Iranian cinema will be represented by director Jafar Panahi, who has received major awards from Venice, Berlin, and Cannes festivals. The international presence will also include French actor Tahar Rahim, who won a César Award for Best Actor for his role in “A Prophet,” and Egyptian actress Yousra, an icon in Arab cinema known for her prominent appearances in this cinematic gathering.
This edition will also feature special dual dialogues, the first involving actresses Virginie Efira and Chiara Mastroianni, focusing on the profession of acting and the boundaries of freedom it allows and how cinema illuminates the artist’s relationship with the world.
The second dialogue, titled “Capturing Memory: Between Collective History and Intimate Experience,” will bring together Moroccan directors Asmae El Moudir, known for her film “White Lies,” and Karima Saïdi, director of “Those Who Watch,” to explore the presence of memory, exile, and social transformations in Moroccan documentary cinema.
With this rich and diverse program, the Marrakech International Film Festival reaffirms its status as one of the most important cinematic events in the Arab and African world, a space that combines art and thought and transforms its “Dialogues” into an open platform for exchanging experiences, inspiration, and rediscovering the meaning of cinema.
