Fez — The Marrakech Short Film Festival (MARRAKECHsFF) has announced the return of its “Best Of” program, a traveling selection of outstanding short films drawn from recent festival editions.
Designed to give films a longer life beyond their initial premieres, the initiative will tour through more than 15 screenings in Morocco and internationally, presenting a mix of Moroccan and global works to new audiences.
Organizers say the program reflects the festival’s broader mission to support emerging filmmakers, strengthen short-film culture in diverse venues, and foster international exchange through cinema.
The selection spans a wide geographic range, with films representing Morocco, Palestine, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Mexico, India, El Salvador, France, Kenya, and Jordan, proving the festival’s growing cross-border network and curatorial reach.
A Moroccan selection anchored in new voices
This year’s Moroccan lineup includes “Beneath a Mother’s Feet” by Elias Suhail, “DarHome” by Salma El Belghiti, “Lady of The Graves” by Mohamed Allali, “Milk Brothers” by Kenza Tazi, “Chikha” by Ayoub Layoussifi and Zahoua Raji, and “Mirror To Sell” by Amal Hicham.
By packaging Moroccan shorts alongside international work, the festival aims to place local storytelling in direct conversation with global cinematic languages, while also giving filmmakers access to audiences beyond the festival week.
International films and a wide thematic range
The international selection includes “A Short Film About Kids” by Ibrahim Handal (Palestine), “Rachid” by Rachida El Garani (Belgium), “Where’s the Imam?” by Abrar Qari (Saudi Arabia), “A Mother Goes to the Beach” by Pedro Hasrouny (Portugal), “The Wayfarer” by Veronika Jelšíková (Czech Republic/Slovakia), “Blind Spots” by Norman Bayron (Mexico), “The Zero Line” by Chaman Ramesh Kishan (India), “All” by Pamela Robin (El Salvador), “Notifications” by François Szabowski (France), “STERO” by Tevin Kimathi and Milan Tarus (Kenya), and “Shadows” by Rand Beiruty (Jordan/France).
The variety of origins points to an equally varied set of themes and styles, from intimate family stories to social commentary and formal experimentation.
Extending festival life through touring
The “Best Of” concept has become a defining extension of MARRAKECHsFF’s ecosystem, . On the festival’s own platforms, the “Best Of” is positioned as a way to circulate award-winning and audience-backed shorts into new cultural contexts. Organizers say it helps, helping filmmakers build momentum after the festival and keepsing short cinema visible in Morocco’s broader cultural circuit.
With additional screenings and collaborations expected to be announced over the year, the program strengthens Marrakech’s role not only as a host city for short films, but also as a launch point for works that deserve to travel.
