From November 20 to 28, Marrakech will host the 23rd edition of its International Film Festival. Chaired by Marion Cotillard, the jury will bring together eight other figures from international cinema, including Moroccan director Saïd Hamich Benlarbi and actor Gilles Lellouche, who has now joined the jury after initially being announced in the "Conversations” section. Together, they will be responsible for judging the fourteen films in the Official Competition and awarding the Golden Star, in an edition celebrating diverse perspectives and the discovery of new talent.
The Marrakech International Film Festival has unveiled the jury for its 23rd edition. Just days before the opening of this major cinematic event, scheduled for November 20 to 28, 2026, nine personalities with distinctive careers will gather in the Red City to celebrate filmmaking and recognize emerging voices in world cinema.
At its head is Marion Cotillard. Awarded the Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of Édith Piaf in Olivier Dahan's La Vie en Rose, the French actress has built an artistic career spanning both auteur cinema and major international productions. From Two Days, One Night to Christopher Nolan's films, including Annette and The Immigrant, her filmography reflects a career characterized by diverse roles and artistic excellence.
Joining her are eight personalities from different cultural and geographical backgrounds, each bringing their own perspectives and experiences. Among them, actor Gilles Lellouche, previously announced in the "Conversations” section, has ultimately joined this edition's jury. Consequently, he will no longer participate in his scheduled Conversation at the Festival.
Nine Perspectives Celebrating the Diversity of Contemporary Cinema
The jury brings together actors and filmmakers whose careers reflect the richness of international cinema. Danish actor Claes Bang, who gained widespread recognition through Ruben Östlund's The Square, winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2017, will join Luxembourgish actress Vicky Krieps, acclaimed for her performance alongside Daniel Day-Lewis in Phantom Thread and recognized for her role in Corsage.
French-British actress Emma Mackey, who rose to prominence through the series Sex Education, continues to build a career spanning independent cinema and international productions. Alongside her, Gilles Lellouche brings experience as both an actor and director, notably through Sink or Swim and Beating Hearts, two films presented at the Cannes Film Festival.
The filmmakers' perspectives will further enrich this diversity. Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, whose works Four Daughters and The Voice of Hind Rajab have made an impact on the international stage, explores the boundaries between documentary and fiction, placing human experiences at the heart of her cinema. British director Andrew Haigh, known for 45 Years and All of Us Strangers, has distinguished himself through his sensitive approach to intimacy and human relationships.
French-Senegalese filmmaker Ramata-Toulaye Sy, who gained recognition with her debut feature Banel & Adama, presented in the Official Competition at Cannes in 2023, will also contribute her perspective as a director and screenwriter.
This diversity of backgrounds and artistic sensibilities is one of the strengths of the jury's composition. Between auteur cinema, intimate narratives, artistic commitments and international productions, jury members will bring their perspectives together to select one work from the fourteen films in competition.
Saïd Hamich Benlarbi, a Moroccan Presence at the Heart of the Jury
The presence of Saïd Hamich Benlarbi gives this edition particular significance. Born in Fez in 1986 and a graduate of La Fémis, the director, screenwriter and producer has built a career between Paris and Casablanca, supporting several acclaimed works presented at major international film events.
Producer of films such as Faouzi Bensaïdi's Deserts, Kamal Lazraq's Hounds and Yasmine Benkiran's Queens, he has also developed his own distinctive filmmaking style. After Return to Bollène in 2018 and the short film The Departure, recognized at several festivals, he directed Across the Sea, presented at Cannes Critics' Week in 2024 before competing at the Marrakech Festival that same year. In 2026, his medium-length film In Search of the Grey Bird with Green Stripes was selected for the Directors' Fortnight at Cannes and awarded the Jean Vigo Prize.
His participation in the jury therefore carries symbolic significance. After presenting his second feature film in the same competition in 2024, he returns to Marrakech in a different role, that of a juror responsible for supporting and recognizing new voices in international cinema.
Dedicated exclusively to first and second feature films, the Official Competition remains one of the Festival's key platforms for discovering new talent. Through this focus, Marrakech continues its mission as a platform for discovery, offering young filmmakers international visibility and opportunities to engage with industry professionals and audiences alike.
The jury will announce its awards on Saturday, November 28, during the closing ceremony. The Golden Star will then honor one of the fourteen competing films, concluding an edition that aims to foster dialogue between cultures, generations and artistic perspectives.