Promised Sky by Erige Sehiri clinched the Golden Star Grand Prize as the 22nd Marrakech International Film Festival closed at the Congress Palace. The nine-day celebration of global cinema united actors, filmmakers, and media from around the world, culminating in a glittering finale.
The award-winning feature, selected from 13 entries in the official competition, impressed the jury led by Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho, who lauded the film’s poetic sensibility and its humane, deeply empathetic storytelling. At its core, Promised Sky delivers a message about resilience and the strength found in solidarity as women overcome displacement and societal challenges. The film—developed through the festival’s Atlas Workshops—explores the lives of three women in contemporary Tunisia as they navigate displacement, solidarity, and the quest for survival.
At its heart is Marie, an Ivorian pastor and former journalist residing in Tunis. She offers shelter to Naney, a young mother chasing new opportunities, and Jolie, a determined student carrying her family’s hopes. Their fragile household transforms into an improvised family when they take in Kenza, a four-year-old shipwreck survivor, confronting them with the shifting tensions of modern society.
The cast includes Aïssa Maïga, Laetitia Ky, Debora Lobe Naney, Mohamed Grayaa, and Foued Zaazaa. Produced by Maneki Films and Henia Production, the film is distributed internationally by Luxbox Films and regionally by MAD Distribution.
The Jury Prize was shared by two films: Vladlena Sandu’s Memory, a poignant reflection on childhood amidst the Chechen conflict, and Jihan K’s My Father and Qaddafi, which examines the disappearance of a Libyan opposition figure. Oscar Hudson received the Best Directing accolade for his debut Straight Circle, while Debora Lobe Naney was named Best Actress for Promised Sky, and Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù claimed Best Actor for his role in Akinola Davies Jr.’s My Father’s Shadow.
The international jury included Karim Aïnouz, Hakim Belabbes, Julia Ducournau, Payman Maadi, Jenna Ortega, Celine Son, and Anya Taylor-Joy, reflecting a broad spectrum of cinematic perspectives.
This year’s festival also honoured four influential figures in cinema: Hussein Fahmi, Jodie Foster, Raouya, and Guillermo del Toro. The “Conversations” programme hosted filmmakers such as Bong Joon Ho, Guillermo del Toro, Andrew Dominik, and Laurence Fishburne, cementing Marrakech’s status as a key forum for industry discussion.
Across its various sections, the festival showcased 81 films from 30 countries, including gala screenings, the Horizons programme, the 11th Continent selection, and a Moroccan Cinema Panorama. Over 47,000 attendees participated, with 7,000 young viewers taking part in family-oriented initiatives.
The Atlas Workshops brought together 350 professionals working on 28 in-development projects, providing mentoring and support that helped shape Promised Sky into the festival’s standout success.
