Jessica Chastain will preside over the jury of the Marrakech Film Festival, which takes place from 24 November to 2 December.
The festival, which creates thousands of local jobs and is a source of pride for the Moroccan people, has managed to hold on despite the earthquake that hit the country in September. This is the 20th edition of the festival and none of the A-list talents have cancelled their participation. A major cultural event in Morocco, Marrakech is one of the only international festivals of its size where screenings and masterclasses are free and open to the public. Many high-profile filmmakers and actors are expected to attend the festival.
Chastain will succeed Paolo Sorrentino as head of the competition jury, which includes fourteen films by first or second time directors.
“I am honoured to serve as jury president for the esteemed Marrakech International Film Festival, which is celebrating its 20th edition this year,” said Chastain. “I am thrilled to be returning to the festival, having last attended in 2011. It is a privilege to be entrusted with this role and I look forward to celebrating incredible global talent in the world of cinema.”
Chastain, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, is also an activist and producer. Her New York-based company, Freckle Films, produced “Memory” as well as “The 355” and “George & Tammy”. She’s currently developing series adaptations of two novels, His and Hers by Alice Feeney and The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan.
As previously announced, Martin Scorsese will also attend the festival as the official patron of the Atlas Workshops, the festival’s industry initiative that aims to encourage and support the emergence of a new generation of Moroccan, Arab and African filmmakers. The revered director is a regular at the Marrakech Festival. He chaired its jury in 2013 and presented an honorary tribute to Robert De Niro in 2018.
