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The 22nd edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival (held from November 28 to December 6, 2025) wrapped up this Saturday evening, celebrating a double victory for Erige Sehiri's film «Promis le ciel», which clinched the prestigious Golden Star award. This cinematic masterpiece by the Tunisian director also earned actress Debora Lobe Naney the Best Actress award.
The jury, led this year by Bong Joon Ho, chose to honor this film for its audacity in presenting a unique worldview, characterized by rare poetic strength and an artistic vision deeply rooted in reality.
The jury commended it as «a bold cinematic gesture that challenges us to reconsider our relationships with others and ourselves». The fifteen films in the competition were described as «daring works, crafted by filmmakers exploring the world's complexities with fresh insight».
The jury prize was jointly awarded to «My Father and Qaddafi» by Jihan K and «Memory» by Vladlena Sandu. The jury noted these as «two deeply personal films, where the intimate intersects with the grand narrative of history».
Moreover, the Best Director award was bestowed upon Oscar Hudson for «Straight Circle», acknowledging «the formal rigor and artistic inventiveness» of his brilliant debut feature.
Hudson also received a special mention for «the precision of actors Elliot Tittensor and Luke Tittensor». Actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù was awarded Best Actor for his role in My Father’s Shadow by Akinola Davies Jr.
The jury's selections showcased «the vitality of the competition and a cinema that dares, surprises, and moves — powered by unique visions and performers of rare talent».
Alongside Bong Joon Ho, this year's jury featured Brazilian filmmaker Karim Aïnouz, Moroccan director Hakim Belabbes, French filmmaker Julia Ducournau, Iranian actor and director Payman Maadi, American actress Jenna Ortega, Canadian-Korean director Celine Song, and British-Argentine actress Anya Taylor-Joy.
Beyond the competition, the festival highlighted world premieres of both Moroccan and international films, spanning documentary and fiction, among a selection of 82 feature films.
Tributes were paid to four icons of national and global cinema: Jodie Foster, Hussein Fahmi, Raouya, and Guillermo del Toro.
The festival's industry program, the Atlas Workshops, played a pivotal role in supporting the cinemas of the continent and the region.
Gathering 350 professionals around 28 projects, this space for mentorship, incubation, and artistic support has nurtured promising works poised to grace international screens, according to the organizers.
The FIFM 2025: Over 47,000 spectators
The Conversations program continued the festival's tradition of fostering open dialogue and exchange between film professionals and the cinephile public, drawing over 47,000 attendees, including 7,000 children and teenagers as part of the Young Audience and Family program.
Outside of these programs, the festival's social dimension was evident with a new campaign to combat blindness. Conducted from December 1 to 5 in Tahannaout, it benefited disaster-stricken populations of Al Haouz.
The initiative provided 3,000 consultations and 400 cataract surgeries, «extending the Festival's commitment» and reinforcing its local engagement in the host region.
