U.S. director Jeff Nichols has been named because the 2024 patron of the Marrakech Worldwide Movie Competition’s Atlas Workshops, because the expertise and venture incubator additionally unveils the tasks chosen for this yr’s version.
Launched in 2018, the initiative has supported a raft of rising and extra established filmmakers and their tasks, hailing from Morocco, the Arab world, and Africa.
Nichols – whose filmography consists of 2011 Cannes Critics’ Week winner Take Shelter, Cannes Palme d’Or contenders Mud (2012) and Loving (2016) in addition to more moderen credit score The Bikeriders – is the second introduced patron.
The position was created final yr, with Martin Scorsese resulting from kick off the inaugural patronship, however he was compelled to cancel his Marrakech journey for private causes on the eleventh hour.
Nichols will participate in various periods with chosen tasks in growth and post-production. This yr’s cohort of filmmakers shall be often known as the Class of Jeff Nichols.
“I’m thrilled to go to this unbelievable competition for the primary time. Accepting the place as Patron to this yr’s Atlas Workshops is an honor, and I contemplate myself fortunate to have the chance to share within the journey these filmmakers are on,” stated the director.
“Interacting with different filmmakers is at all times an inspiration to me, and I hope my involvement helps them on their path to getting their movies out into the world.”
Mission particulars
This yr’s Atlas Workshops will host 17 tasks in growth and 10 movies in manufacturing or post-production from 13 international locations, chosen from 320 functions obtained from throughout the African continent and the Arab world.
Chronicles From A Siege Period
Proof Movies
Highlights in growth embody Alicante, the primary fiction characteristic from French-Palestinian-Algerian director Lina Soualem after her award-winning documentary Bye Bye Tiberias. From Morocco, Talal Selhami will unveil The Shelter, his third movie after the buzzy horror Achoura and fantasy thriller Mirages.
First characteristic movies in growth embody The Supply by Mouloud Ouyahia, whose brief movie The Home is on Hearth, May as Properly Get Heat was offered in Cannes Administrators’ Fortnight in 2023, and multidisciplinary artist Nuno Miranda, who explores the gorgeous assembly of two soulmates amid mourning and exile in Flowers of the Useless.
Movies in manufacturing or post-production embody Within the Shadows of Good Fortune by Nigerian director Babatunde Apalowo, whose All of the Colors of the World Are Between Black and White performed within the Berlinale’s Panorama line-up in 2023.
The choice may even unveil first appears to be like for Cherien Dabis’s All That’s Left of You (Palestine); Marwan Hamed’s El Sett (Egypt), his eagerly awaited biopic of legendary diva Umm Kulthum; and Tarzan & Arab Nasser’s As soon as Upon a Time in Gaza (Palestine).
The Atlas Workshops will unveil the primary photographs of two movies that participated in earlier editions whereas in growth: Zamo Mkhwanazi’s Laundry (South Africa) and Meryem Benm’Barek’s Behind the Palm Timber (Morocco), which had been chosen for the platform in 2018 and 2022 respectively.
As in earlier editions, the workshops may even characteristic initiatives targeted on supporting the Moroccan movie business ecosystem, together with the Shut Up collection of Moroccan tasks and the Atlas Station program providing networking and mentoring occasions for a collection of native rising Moroccan administrators and producers.
Operating from December 1 to five inclusive, the seventh version is at some point longer than earlier years. The workshop and panels program will characteristic the second version of the Atlas Distribution Awards, a distribution help scheme for Morocco and the Arab and African nations, comprising at some point of exchanges and discussions searching for to optimize the work of distributors within the area.
Mission line-up for the seventh Atlas Workshops (* denotes first movie)
Initiatives in Improvement
Alicante, Lina Soualem (Algeria)
The Final Beast Of Atlas, Walid Messnaoui (Morocco) *
Flowers of the Useless, Nuno Miranda (Cape Verde) *
Ici Repose, Moly Kane (Senegal) *
Fortunate Woman, Linda Lô (Senegal) *
The Orange Grove, Murad Abu Eisheh (Jordan) *
Princesse Téné, Fabien Dao (Burkina Faso) *
Pure Insanity (Pure Folie), Inès Arsi (Tunisia) | Doc *
Samir, The Unintended Spy, – Charlotte Rabate (Syria) *
The Shelter, Talal Selhami (Morocco)
The Supply, Mouloud Ouyahia (Algeria) *
Your Flip, 2023, Cynthia Sawma (Lebanon) *
Atlas Shut-ups (Moroccan tasks in growth)
And Nonetheless I Rise, Djanis Bouzyani, doc *
Dar Marjana, Lamia lazrak, doc *
Fatwa, Mohamed el Badaoui
The Area, Mohamed Bouhari *
The Nours– Yassine Iguenfer *
Movies in Manufacturing or Put up-production
Aisha Can’t Fly Away, Morad Mostafa (Egypt) *
All That’s Left Of You, Cherien Dabis (Palestine)
Bardi, Tala Hadid (Morocco)
Behind The Palm Timber, Meryem Benm’barek (Morocco)
Chronicles From A Siege Period, Abdallah Al-Khatib (Palestine, Syria)
In The Shadows Of Good Fortune, Babatunde Apalowo (Nigeria) –
It’s A Unhappy and Stunning World, Cyril Aris (Lebanon)
Laundry, Zamo Mkhwanazi (South Africa) *
As soon as Upon A Time In Gaza, Tarzan & Arab Nasser (Palestine)
Atlas Movie Showcase (movie in ultimate levels of enhancing and searching for a competition premiere)
El Sett, Marwan Hamed (Egypt)
Chosen Moroccan Professionals at Atlas Station
Youssef Amar, Producer
Khaoula Assebab, Director and Producer
Zineb Chafchaouni Moussaoui, Director
Meriame Essadak, Producer
Aymane Hammou, Director and Producer
Hicham Harrag, Director and Producer
Samir Harrag, Director and Producer
Safae Lahgazi Alaoui, Director
Jabrane Lakhssassi, Director and Producer
Basma Rkioui, Director and Producer
