Rabat – The Atlas Workshops, an integral part of the Marrakech International Film Festival, is set to take place in Marrakech between November 27 and 30, with the aim of showcasing emerging Moroccan, Arab, and African filmmakers on a global stage.
In its much-anticipated 6th edition, the Atlas Workshops will captivate audiences with a lineup that includes 16 projects in development and nine films in production or post-production.
These projects, hailing from 11 countries, have been selected from a pool of 320 applications.
This reflects the “strong artistic vitality in the region, as well as the appeal of the Atlas Workshops program and the opportunities it offers,” said the Marrakech Film Festival in a press release.
This year’s selection spans across various film genres. Notable entries include Sandra Tabet’s foray into feature film directing with “Rabies” from Lebanon, Hind Bensari’s touching documentary “Out of School” from Morocco, and Adnane Baraka’s poetic dystopia in his new project, “We Don’t Forget,” also from Morocco, said the statement.
The organizers noted a significant presence of female talent in this edition, with the participation of 11 female directors, four of whom are from Morocco, and 12 female producers.
The Atlas Workshops will also introduce fresh talents, such as Leila Basma from Lebanon, as well as provide a platform for renowned filmmakers who have made a mark on the international scene, including Youssef Chebbi and Erige Sehiri from Tunisia.
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In addition, the Atlas Workshops promises a sneak peek at several eagerly awaited films, including Ala Eddine Slim’s “Agora” from Tunisia, Mo Harawe’s “The Village next to Paradise” from Somalia, “Motherhood” from Tunisia by Meryam Joobeur, and “La Mer au Loin,” a feature film by Moroccan producer and director Saïd Hamich Benlarbi.
The heart of the Atlas Workshops lies in the “high quality, tailored” support it offers to project teams, encompassing screenwriting, production, distribution, editing, and music, indicated the statement.
These filmmakers are then given the opportunity to participate in a Co-Production Market attended by 250 accredited international professionals. The jury awards cash prizes totaling €126,000 (MAD 1.3 million), including the ArteKino Prize.
In addition to the film screenings, the Atlas Workshops will offer various panels and discussions. These include a conversation with Oscar-nominated director Tarik Saleh about his film “Boy From Heaven,” which was a part of the Official Competition at last year’s Festival de Cannes.
There will also be a discussion highlighting the importance of film archives and cinematheques in preserving and sharing the region’s cinematic heritage.
The event will feature Morocco’s Sofia Alaoui presenting a case study of her film “Animalia.” It will shed light on the “creative significance” of special effects in contemporary cinema in Africa and the Middle East.
In parallel, professionals in the industry will share their expertise on the development of animated film projects, the international context for distributing short films at festivals, and the art of pitching series to platforms.
Nine films, including six from Morocco, that have previously received support from the Atlas Workshops during their development or post-production stages will be featured in the program of the 20th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival.
