Fez — Moroccan director Laïla Marrakchi has secured a place in the official selection of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, with her new feature “Strawberries” selected for “Un Certain Regard,” one of the event’s most closely watched parallel sections. 

The 2026 edition of Cannes is scheduled to run from May 12 to May 23 in France.

The selection marks a high-profile international moment for Marrakchi, whose first feature, “Marock,” also screened in “Un Certain Regard” at Cannes in 2005. More than two decades later, her return places a Moroccan filmmaker back on one of global cinema’s biggest stages.

“Strawberries,” also referred to by its Spanish title “La Más Dulce,” tells the story of two young Moroccan women who travel to southern Spain for seasonal strawberry-picking work after being promised income that could improve their lives and support their families. According to the project synopsis, the women instead face abuse and harassment, and ultimately risk everything by speaking out with the help of a lawyer. 

The subject matter gives the film a sharp social edge, centering on labor precarity, migration, and the vulnerability of women working far from home. That framing has already drawn industry attention in recent months, with trade publications flagging the project as a likely Cannes contender before the official announcement. 

A return to Cannes with international attention

Cannes unveiled its 2026 official selection on April 9, placing Marrakchi alongside an international group of directors in “Un Certain Regard.” Coverage from major entertainment outlets and film publications listed “Strawberries” among the titles chosen for the section, confirming the film’s place in one of the festival’s central discovery platforms. 

The film had already built momentum before Cannes. The project appeared in the 2025 Atlas Workshops selection linked to the Marrakech International Film Festival, where its synopsis and production details were publicly presented. Industry reporting also noted international sales activity around the film earlier this year.