Film industry executives and celebrities in Marrakech, gathered at one of the largest film festivals in the Arab world, highlighted on Friday the significance of advancing cinema and promoting artistic expression.

Nine exceptional and globally renowned personalities composed the jury of the 20th edition, with the presidency being held by the Oscar-winning American actress and producer Jessica Chastain.

Furthermore, Jessica Chastain highlighted the strong female presence within the jury, consisting of six women and three men this year: the Iranian actress Zar Amir, the French actress Camille Cottin, the Australian actor and director Joel Edgerton, the British director Joanna Hogg, the American director Dee Rees, the Swedish-Egyptian director Tarek Saleh, the Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard, and the Franco-Moroccan writer Leïla Slimani. By December 2, the jury will award the Golden Star to one of the 14 feature films in competition, dedicated to discovering filmmakers from around the world.

In line with the celebration of world cinemas, this ceremony was marked by a tribute to the Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, who has accumulated over 100 roles in various international films, both in Hollywood productions and European art films. Over the decades, he has demonstrated his remarkable ability to embody complex characters with dark, broken, or resilient faces in the face of life’s challenges.

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