This year’s edition will showcase emerging talents who bring innovative and daring perspectives to the cinematic landscape.
Marrakech – The 7th edition of the Atlas Workshops is set to light up Marrakech from December 1 to 5, 2024, gathering filmmakers from Morocco, the Arab world, and across Africa.
Known for cinematic gems like Take Shelter and The Bikeriders, celebrated U.S. director Jeff Nichols will serve as the patron for this year’s program, lending his expertise to an inspiring new cohort of visionary talent.
Renowned as a leading figure in contemporary cinema and hailed as an heir to the legacy of great American filmmakers, Jeff Nichols has made an indelible mark since his 2007 debut.
His breakthrough film, Take Shelter, garnered international acclaim, winning the Grand Prix at Cannes’ La Semaine de la Critique, setting the stage for a career spanning six films across various genres.
As this year’s Patron of the Atlas Workshops, Nichols will lead a series of hands-on sessions with selected projects in development and post-production. The 2024 cohort has been fittingly dubbed the “Class of Jeff Nichols,” honoring his influence and contributions.
Reflecting on his role, Nichols said: “I’m thrilled to visit this incredible festival for the first time. Accepting the position as Patron to this year’s Atlas Workshops is an honor, and I consider myself lucky to have the opportunity to share in the journey these filmmakers are on. Interacting with other filmmakers is always an inspiration to me, and I hope my involvement helps them on their path to getting their films out into the world.”
Marrakech Film Festival expands support for Arab and African filmmakers
The Marrakech International Film Festival is amplifying its commitment to fostering new voices in Moroccan, Arab, and African cinema through an expanded suite of support programs.
Building on a reputation for high-impact initiatives, this year’s industry platform introduces modules that begin prior to the festival and extends the Atlas Workshops to five days, allowing a deeper dive into a broader range of artistic and professional areas.
A notable addition is the Atlas Distribution Awards, launched last year as a dedicated support mechanism for film distribution across Morocco, the Arab world, and Africa. This year, the awards program will feature a special day for exchanges and discussions aimed at enhancing distribution strategies in the region.
The festival is also advancing the Atlas Station program to further develop Morocco’s film industry ecosystem. Atlas Station, welcoming its inaugural cohort of 10 Moroccan filmmakers, offers young directors and producers tailored sessions to prepare them for the international industry landscape.
With a focus on project development, the program includes collaborative group sessions, personalized consultations, and networking opportunities with participants in other Atlas Workshops initiatives. This year’s lineup promises an enriching environment for the next wave of talent in regional cinema.
Showcasing bold new visions in African and Arab cinema
This year, the Atlas Workshops highlights a powerful selection of 17 projects in development and 10 films in production or post-production, chosen from 320 submissions across Africa and the Arab world.
These films reflect the region’s cultural richness, featuring original, impactful stories.
Among this year’s anticipated titles, Lina Soualem returns with her first fiction film “Alicante” (Algeria), after her successful documentary “Bye Bye Tiberias.”
Morocco’s emerging talents are well-represented with Djanis Bouzyani’s evocative documentary “And Still I Rise,” and Yassine Iguenfer’s vibrant story “The Nours.”
Other standout projects include Moly Kane’s touching “Ici repose” (Senegal) and Murad Abu Eisheh’s lyrical adaptation of “The Orange Grove” (Jordan).
Notable new voices include Mouloud Ouyahia, whose “The Source” (Algeria) follows his Cannes-selected short film, and Nuno Miranda’s “Flowers of the Dead” (Cabo Verde), an exploration of love, mourning, and exile.
Walid Messnaoui’s gripping “The Last Beast of Atlas” (Morocco) and Fabien Dao’s modern western “Princesse Téné” (Burkina Faso) add depth to this year’s lineup.
Also featured are Talal Selhami’s “The Shelter” (Morocco), Babatunde Apalowo’s “In the Shadows of Good Fortune” (Nigeria), and exclusive previews of Cherien Dabis’s All “That’s Left of You” (Palestine), Marwan Hamed’s biopic “El Sett” (Egypt) on Umm Kulthum, and Tarzan & Arab Nasser’s “Once Upon a Time in Gaza” (Palestine).
Additionally, audiences will catch a first glimpse of projects from prior editions: Zamo Mkhwanazi’s “Laundry” (South Africa) and Meryem Benm’Barek’s “Behind the Palm Trees” (Morocco), first introduced to the Atlas Workshops in 2018 and 2022.
This 7th edition promises a vibrant gathering of talents bringing diverse, bold visions to the forefront of regional cinema.
