Fez — The 22nd Marrakech International Film Festival dedicated a special tribute to Raouya, born Fatima Harandi, celebrating one of the most singular voices in Moroccan cinema.
At the Palais des Congrès on December 2, the actress received an emotional homage in front of a packed audience that rose to salute her career and her presence on screen.
The evening’s highlight came when filmmaker Nourredine Lakhmari took the stage to present Raouya with a statuette honoring her body of work. His heartfelt speech set the tone for a ceremony that felt both intimate and historic.
A familiar face, a magnetic presence
Raouya has long been one of those actors whose face says as much as any line of dialogue. Over the years, she has played the roles of women marked by hardship, resilience, tenderness, and quiet strength. Through these roles, she has helped shape a cinema that speaks of real lives. Sometimes harsh. Often moving. Always dignified.
At the tribute, the festival projected a selection of scenes from her most memorable films. On screen, a gallery of strong, complex, deeply human characters unfolded. Each excerpt seemed to wake up a memory in the room. A moment in a cinema. A television evening at home. A line that stayed with viewers long after the credits.
As the images followed one another, the atmosphere shifted from admiration to affection. The applause that rose again and again felt less like applause for a star, and more like gratitude for someone who has been part of Moroccan homes for decades.
A ceremony in her name
The Marrakech International Film Festival chose a simple and elegant format for the tribute. No excess. No spectacle for its own sake. Instead, the focus stayed on Raouya, her craft, and the emotions she has carried to audiences.
Lakhmari’s words underlined this. As one of the strong voices of contemporary Moroccan cinema, he paid tribute to her talent and her endurance. He spoke of an actress who never treated a role lightly. Of a woman who brought depth and truth to every frame.
When he finally handed her the statuette, the room stood up as one. The ovation lasted long enough to blur the line between stage and hall.
A woman, an artist, an inheritance
What the festival celebrated that night went beyond a filmography. Raouya represents a generation of artists who turned cinema into a space for expression, freedom, and, at times, resistance. She imposed her talent in an industry that was, and remains, largely male. She did so without losing her softness or her authenticity.
At the microphone, Raouya appeared moved. She spoke of the honor of receiving this recognition “in her own country.” Her voice trembled at times. But her words carried the calm assurance of someone who has always moved forward with sincerity.
She thanked the public, fellow artists, and all those who had trusted her over the years. Between the lines, another message emerged. That of a woman who knows she has become part of a collective memory.
A message to the next generation
By dedicating this evening to Raouya, the Marrakech festival also sent a signal to younger artists. The tribute underlined the importance of protecting and celebrating those who build Morocco’s film heritage. It also showed that a career can be forged far from hype; with patience, hard work, and fidelity to oneself.
Raouya has never sought the spotlight. Yet it finds her. On stage, on screen, and in the hearts of viewers. She carries a raw truth, a generous heart, a sensitivity that always finds its way to the audience.
As she left the stage under a new wave of applause, she took with her one of the brightest ovations of this 22nd edition. She also left behind a quiet but powerful message to young Moroccan actresses and filmmakers: audacity, passion, and loyalty to one’s own voice are what give a work the strength to last.
For one night in Marrakech, cinema celebrated a woman. And that woman, in her own way, continues to celebrate Morocco.
