Fez — The Marrakech International Film Festival has announced the selection for the ninth edition of its Atlas Workshops, bringing together 30 film projects from 14 countries and welcoming Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho as this year’s patron.

Scheduled for November 22–26, the workshops will take place during the festival’s 23rd edition, running from November 20 to 28.

Organizers selected the 30 projects from 410 submissions, highlighting the growing interest in a platform dedicated to supporting filmmakers from Morocco, Africa, and the Arab world.

The selection includes 14 projects in development, 11 films in production or post-production, and five projects in Atlas Close-Ups, a section dedicated exclusively to Moroccan cinema.

An award-winning Brazilian filmmaker joins the workshops

Mendonça Filho, one of contemporary Brazilian cinema’s internationally recognized directors, has developed a career exploring political tensions, social divisions, and collective memory.

His filmography includes “Neighboring Sounds” (2012), “Aquarius” (2016), and “Bacurau” (2019), which received the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

His latest feature, “The Secret Agent” (2025), earned him the Best Director award at Cannes and received four Academy Award nominations in 2026. The film also won two Golden Globes.

“I am delighted to receive this invitation. Listening to new ideas and understanding the aspirations of new generations of filmmakers is a source of inspiration for my own work,” Mendonça Filho said in the festival’s announcement.

Recalling his previous visit to Marrakech, the filmmaker added that serving as patron makes him feel as though he is witnessing “the birth of new films.”

His participation will connect emerging regional filmmakers with an established international director whose work has attracted critical recognition across major festivals.

Moroccan filmmakers feature prominently

Several Moroccan directors appear in this year’s selection, including filmmakers who have already established themselves internationally.

Meryem Benm’Barek, known for “Sofia” and “Behind the Palm Trees,” joins the development section with her third feature, “Ashes.”

Sofia Alaoui, whose debut feature “Animalia” premiered at Sundance, returns with her second feature project, “The Sleepers.”

Yasmine Benkiran, director of “Queens,” will develop her second feature, “Waltz of the Savages.”

Meanwhile, Alaa Eddine Aljem’s “Eldorado” and Ismaël El Iraki’s “Wolfmother” feature among the films in production or post-production.

Both projects previously received development support through the Atlas Workshops, demonstrating how the program accompanies filmmakers through different stages of their careers.

The Atlas Close-Ups section will showcase five additional Moroccan projects, including “Like a Sister” by Sonia Terrab, “Medina” by Yassine Fennane, and “B512, the Man Who Forgot to Die” by Jihane El Bahhar.

The section also includes “The Cemetery’s Birds” by Madane El Ghazouani and Samira El Mouzghibati’s documentary “Amar Made His Dream Come True.”

The complete selection, which the organizers published, also includes filmmakers from Palestine, Sudan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Senegal, and several other countries.

Supporting the next generation of Moroccan cinema

Beyond the main selection, Atlas Station will welcome eight Moroccan film professionals, four women and four men, selected from 30 applicants.

They will participate in professional development sessions and exchanges with international industry figures, focusing on different aspects of film production.

Five Moroccan short films currently in post-production will also receive tailored support, particularly in editing and distribution.

Founded in 2018, the Atlas Workshops have gradually expanded into a broader professional platform operating under the festival’s Atlas Programs.

These initiatives now include Atlas Press, which supports film criticism, and the Atlas Distribution Meetings, which bring together approximately 60 professionals from Africa, the Arab world, and Europe.

Through its latest selection, the Marrakech International Film Festival continues to connect regional filmmakers with international expertise, supporting the development, production, and circulation of Moroccan, Arab, and African cinema.