Marrakech Short Film Festival: A Cultural Celebration
The Marrakech Short Film Festival (MARRAKECHsFF) is gearing up for its sixth edition, scheduled to take place from September 25 to 30, 2026, in the beautiful ochre city of Marrakech. This year's festival promises a vibrant blend of cultural diplomacy, local engagement, and international outreach, with Malta being the spotlight country of the event.
According to a statement received by Yabiladi, the Maltese programming features nine short films that encompass fiction, animation, and documentaries, providing Moroccan audiences with a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage and creative diversity of Malta. Ivan Vassallo, Malta's Consul General in Morocco, expressed his enthusiasm for this participation, emphasizing the aim of fostering stronger cultural ties, mutual understanding, and friendship between the two nations.
This year's festival has attracted an impressive total of 400 short films from 90 countries across all five continents, reflecting the organizers' commitment to establishing Marrakech as a hub for the exchange of artistic works, ideas, and talents. Local productions will be prominently featured, as the national competition remains a cornerstone of the festival, showcasing a new generation of filmmakers and providing a platform for visibility and connections with professionals and institutions from various countries.
In line with its mission to strengthen local roots while embracing global perspectives, the festival will utilize several iconic venues throughout the city, such as the Palais Badii, Cyber Park, The Folk, the French Institute of Marrakech, Meydene, and the World Storytelling Café.
This year, the prestigious "Belarj Prize" will be awarded to one of the following selected works: "Fading Candle" by Ismail Ait Lahcen, "Aicha" by Sanaa El Alaoui, "Two Ways" by Yassine Iguenfer, "Mesk Ellil" by Rami Adnane, and "Behind the Curtain’s Edge" by Kacem Skalli. Meanwhile, the "Nakhil Prize" features entries including "Aicha" and "Two Ways," while the "Behja Prize" will be given to a film from among "Phone Breaker" by Aziz Hattab, "Les Liens Invisibles" by Sandia Tajdine, "Paradise Garden" by Khadija Salamadina, and "65 Days" by Mohamed Ben Seltana.
Additionally, four films are included in the national selection but are not in competition: "Quo Vadis Meryem" by Amine Zeriouh, "With the Wind" by Ines Lehaire, "Investigation" by Marwan Chiguer, and "Crawling Birds" by Karim Taj. The international competition will showcase works from countries such as Italy, Iraq, China, Portugal, Australia, Albania, Lebanon, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Spain, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Japan. Notably, the international selection outside of competition will highlight films from Cambodia, France, Saudi Arabia, and Spain.
As reported by yabiladi.com.
