Celebrating Cinema at the Marrakech Short Film Festival
From September 25 to 30, the 6th edition of the Marrakech Short Film Festival will bring together films from all five continents, spotlighting Malta as the featured country while also showcasing a new wave of Moroccan filmmakers through its national competition. This year's festival has received over 400 short films from more than 90 countries, with a particular emphasis on elevating the voices of emerging talents in Moroccan cinema.
Notable entries competing for the prestigious **Belarj** award include works such as **_Fading Candle_** by Ismail Ait Lahcen, **_Aicha_** by Sanaa El Alaoui, **_Two Ways_** by Yassine Iguenfer, and **_Mesk Ellil_** by Rami Adnane. The Moroccan competition is complemented by an international selection that features films from countries including Italy, Iraq, China, Portugal, Australia, Lebanon, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Spain, the UK, South Korea, and Japan.
As reported by lecourrierdelatlas.com.
Illustrious Jury and New Initiatives
The festival's international jury is headed by acclaimed Turkish actress Tûba Büyüküstün, joined by British director Charlotte Regan, Alice Kharoubi, the programming director of the Cannes Film Market, and Lebanese screenwriter and director Daniela Stephan. Meanwhile, the national competition jury will be presided over by Moroccan actor, director, and screenwriter Rachid El Ouali, alongside actress and academic Jalila Talemsi and actor, director, and educator Hicham Brahimi.
This year's festival also introduces a new program titled **“Bridges of Reality,”** dedicated to African documentary shorts that highlight narratives from both the continent and its diasporas. Curated in collaboration with Alex Moussa Sawadogo, a key figure in African cinema and the general delegate of **[FESPACO](https://www.lecourrierdelatlas.com/le-maroc-rayonne-au-fespaco-2025-avec-une-selection-prestigieuse/)**, this initiative aims to showcase authentic documentary stories rooted in the realities of Africa.
The festival's professional program, **AMANAR**, will support five projects this year, offering them a Development Lab to refine their ideas before a public pitch session and the awarding of the AMANAR prize. The selected filmmakers will also receive mentorship in Egypt and ongoing support for a year, connecting them with producers, laboratories, and international platforms.
Since its inception in 2020 during the pandemic, the Marrakech Short Film Festival has become known for its outdoor screenings, a tradition that continues to thrive. This year, the **Cyber Park Moulay Abdessalam** will host the screenings, with the **Palais El Badi** serving as a venue for ceremonies and various cultural events throughout the city.
As the festival unfolds from September 25 to 30, Marrakech will transform into a vibrant hub for cinematic exploration, offering filmmakers and audiences alike a unique opportunity to engage with stories from around the world, fostering connections between emerging artists and industry veterans, and bridging cinematic narratives from different cultures.
