APA – Marrakech (Morocco) – The Marrakech Short Film Festival (MARRAKECHsFF) returns for its 3rd edition from September 22 to 29, 2023, showcasing Moroccan short film talent with an international selection in iconic Marrakech locations, says a release from the organizers.
The first open-air film festival founded by women in Morocco, this event continues its commitment to building bridges between the short film industry and the city of Marrakech, while showcasing Moroccan and international talent through an exciting competition program.
Screenings will take place in prestigious venues such as the Palais Bahia, Cyber Park, Dar Cherifa, Villa Majorelle, The Source Hotel, and other locations to be discovered. The third edition of the festival will welcome Poland as the guest country of honor, in partnership with the Polish Embassy, with a line-up of films selected by the prestigious Munk Studio, which has been operating within the structures of the Polish Filmmakers Association since 2008, and which was created to focus exclusively on the production of directors’ first films.
The studio’s aim is to discover and support talented young directors in the creation of creative art cinema. The Polish selection will feature more than ten films, including “The Dress” by Oscar-nominated director Tadeusz Łysiak.
The festival also features an international selection of films from the USA, Cyprus, Greece, Palestine, Cote d’Ivoire, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
The 2023 selection will include award-winning films such as Munir Abbar’s “En Route,” which won the Grand Prix at the Oujda Maghreb Film Festival, Karim Souissi’s “Seminal Animals,” which won 1st Jury Prize and Audience Prize for the short film “Hand Maid” at the Encounters Festival in Bristol, UK, and Margara Isabella’s “Nothing Holier than a Dolphin,” winner of the Audience Prize at the ClermontFerrand International Short Film Festival.
The festival line-up includes thirteen films, seven of which are in competition, with the participation of renowned directors and actors such as Fahd Benchamsi, Abdellatif Chaouqi, Abdelghani Sannak, Munir Abbar, Karim Souissi, Gabriel Navarro, etc…
The festival jury will be chaired by director Nour Eddine Lakhmari, accompanied by producer Rachida Saadi and actress Nisrine Erradi. The festival will award several prizes, including the Nakhil Prize (best film)
Belarj Prize (best director), Bahja Prize (best actor). A “Coup de Coeur” prize will also be awarded to a film in the international selection.
This year, the Marrakech Short Film Festival is working on new programs, in particular the “Low Budget Budget” program, dedicated to supporting Moroccan filmmakers who have participated in previous editions of the festival.
This program aims to support and develop the Moroccan short film industry by providing a platform for the creation and development of projects.
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