The International Film Festival of Marrakech has announced the selection of 28 projects and films to participate in the eighth edition of the “Atlas Workshops,” which will take place in Marrakech from November 30 to December 4, featuring a talented group of creatives and professionals from across the Arab world, Africa, and Europe.
According to a statement from the festival’s management, Romanian director, screenwriter, and producer Cristian Mungiu, who won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007 for his film “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,” has been chosen as the patron for this new edition of the workshops.
Mungiu is considered one of the prominent contemporary European cinematic voices, having solidified his status through notable works such as “Beyond the Hills,” “Graduation,” and “The Romanian Way.”
This choice, as stated, aligns with the artistic direction of the Atlas Workshops, reflecting the artistic values embodied by Mungiu, characterized by precision, rigor, and human depth—principles that underpin this professional program dedicated to supporting emerging talents in the Arab world and Africa.
Cristian Mungiu expressed in a statement: “I am very happy to return to Marrakech, a vibrant festival that unites individuals from around the world through the power and impact of cinema. I am honored to be the patron of the Atlas Workshops 2025, hoping to learn a lot from this rich gathering, along with the directors I will meet, as I believe that cinema is a wonderful tool for understanding reality and others, beyond stereotypes, and must be used to focus on what unites us.”
The statement highlighted that the Atlas Workshops, which constitute the heart of the festival’s professional programs, were launched in 2018 to support the new generation of Arab, African, and Moroccan filmmakers, accompanying their projects through various stages of production and distribution.
Moreover, the eighth edition will feature the launch of expanded events and programs, including the “Atlas Meetings on Distribution,” organized for the first time following the establishment of the “Atlas Awards for Distribution” in 2023, aimed at enhancing the circulation of films in the Arab world and Africa.
These meetings are expected to bring together around sixty experts in film distribution from Africa, the Arab world, and Europe, to discover a range of Arab and African films in the post-production stage, alongside works showcased during the festival.
In this context, the festival continues to develop its professional program “Atlas Platform,” dedicated to enhancing the skills of young Moroccan producers and directors; seven Moroccan professionals will benefit from specialized support in production, along with four Moroccan short films in post-production that will receive technical and professional backing to broaden their distribution prospects.
The statement noted that this year’s Atlas Workshops host 12 projects in development (including 10 feature films and 2 documentaries) and 10 films in shooting or post-production, in addition to five Moroccan projects in the “Perspectives on the Atlas” section, and one Moroccan film in the “Atlas Film Screenings” section. These projects represent seventeen countries, including Morocco, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Angola, Jordan, Tanzania, Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, reflecting the significant geographical and cultural diversity characterizing this edition’s programming.
Moroccan participation will be substantial in this version, featuring leading female directors such as Basma El Riyahi, Zineb Wakrim, Leila Marrakchi, and Asmaa Al-Madani, along with director Mohammed Zain Edin, who will showcase exclusive scenes from his new film “Until Dawn.”
Younger Moroccan directors, including Halima El Khatabi, Reda Lahmoud, Zahwa El Raji, Ayoub Youssefi, Shadin Safi El-Din El-Tazi, and Lina El Tahiri, will also participate in the “Perspectives on the Atlas” section with feature film projects in development.
The list also includes notable Arab and African names, such as Palestinians Iskandar Qabti and Maha Haj, Burkinabe director Abou Bakar Sangaré, Jordanian Amjad Al-Rasheed, and Egyptian Mohamed Hamad, alongside Tanzanian director Amil Shivji and Lebanese Fathi Bougourjian, Rami Qdeih, Mounia Aql, and Michel Tian.
The workshops will also feature Ghanaian director Amartey Armar, who previously participated in the Cannes Film Festival with his short film “Tsutsutsu.”
The selected projects highlight a variety of humanitarian and social themes, including identity, family ties, resilience, reconciliation, environmental awareness, and self-discovery, reflecting the richness and plurality of artistic approaches in contemporary Arab and African cinema.
Through this programming, the International Film Festival of Marrakech reaffirms its commitment to supporting new cinematic talents on the continent and in the Arab world, establishing the Atlas Workshops as a leading international professional platform that combines training, support, and cultural exchange, celebrating the creative energy of cinema that unites people through the language of art and image.
