The 22nd edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival (November 28 – December 6, 2025) opened with an atmosphere of refined cinematic elegance, turning the Red City into a global stage where images speak louder than words and where storytelling becomes a shared human ritual.
Morocco is no longer merely a host country; it has become an international platform for cinema — a crossroads of visions, cultures, and creative expressions.
What Defined the 2025 Edition: Diversity, Reverence, and Creative Momentum
• A programme spanning continents and sensibilities
With 81 films from 31 countries, the festival offered a rare cinematic mosaic: official competition, Gala screenings, the “Horizons” and “Eleventh Continent” sections, a Moroccan panorama, and screenings for young audiences and families.
This is not a festival showcasing only “canonical films”; it is one that embraces “exploratory cinema” — films that ask questions, challenge perspectives, and push viewers to rethink the world around them.
• A heartfelt tribute to Hussein Fahmy, a pillar of Arab cinema
The opening ceremony honored Egyptian star Hussein Fahmy, celebrating a luminous career that helped shape Arab cinematic identity.
The applause, the emotion, the sense of continuity between generations — all gave the tribute a symbolic weight that reaffirmed Marrakech as a bridge between heritage and innovation.
• An international jury led by Bong Joon Ho
By choosing the award-winning Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho to lead the jury, the festival sent a clear message: Marrakech embraces global cinematic language, unbound by borders.
The jury members — filmmakers and actors from Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America — embody a true conversation between cultures and artistic schools.
• Moroccan cinema: not a guest, but a protagonist
The Moroccan Panorama and national films in competition reflect a vibrant artistic ecosystem.
Through diverse voices — from urban landscapes to rural stories, from social realities to aesthetic experimentation — Moroccan cinema reveals a country in motion, rich in narratives and creative ambitions.
A Cinematic Morocco Speaking to the World
Since its inception, the festival has anchored Morocco on the map of major international film events.
A royal remark highlighted that Marrakech has placed the Kingdom “among the world’s significant cultural festivals”, reinforcing the idea that Morocco deploys cinema as a form of cultural diplomacy — a language of openness and dialogue.
Conclusion — Marrakech 2025: A Cultural Statement in the Language of Film
This edition did more than showcase films; it created a cultural moment.
Through its rich programming, meaningful tributes, strong Moroccan presence, and globally diverse jury, the festival affirms that Morocco is not a passive viewer. It is a contributor to the evolution of world cinema.
Once again, Marrakech reminds us that it is not only a historical or touristic jewel — but a true cinematic capital where the world gathers, watches, and listens to the Moroccan voice.
