The 19th edition of the competition’s jury, which was presided over by Paolo Sorrentino, awarded the filmmaker’s first feature film with the prize, which he dedicated to “the young generation who sacrifice their lives for freedom.”
With his film Black Knight, which dedicated its Golden Star award to “all the ladies of Iran,” the young Iranian director Emad Aleebrahim Dehkordi took home the festival’s top prize on Saturday night.
In reference to the Iranian uprising that began more than two months ago following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurd who passed away on September 16 after being arrested for refusing to wear the hijab, the filmmaker said, «I want to pay tribute to all those who have lost their lives fighting to regain the freedom to be themselves. The 43-year-old director continued, “I dedicate this honor to all the ladies of Iran and the young generation who risk their lives for freedom.
Asghar Fahradi declares in Marrakech that he is “full of hope” regarding the state of affairs in Iran.
Since the young woman’s death on September 16, which spurred unprecedented protests against the tight clothing code established by the Islamic Republic, Iran has been dealing with a wave of unrest. According to a brand-new research published on Saturday by the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), at least 378 individuals were killed during the crackdown on the protests. In Black Knight (2022), Emad Aleebrahim Dehkordi’s debut feature film, he portrays the life of a young Iranian living in Shemroon, north of Tehran, who joins the dark side in an effort to get quick money.
The FIFM jury, which was chaired by Italian director Paolo Sorrentino and included of French actor Tahar Rahim, Lebanese director Nadine Labaki, and German-American actress Diane Kruger, gave the drama Lightning (2022), directed by Swiss filmmaker Carmen Jaquier, the medal for directing.
The Moroccan Maryam Touzani for The Blue of the Caftan, about a couple whose man hides his homosexuality and representing Morocco at the Oscars, and the Portuguese Cristèle Alves Meira for Living Soul, about a young girl whose vacation is ruined by the passing of her cherished grandmother, received the jury prize ex-aequo.
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For her portrayal of a strong single mother in the Canadian filmmaker Anthony Shim’s film Riceboy Sleeps, the Korean actress Choi Seung-yoon took home the Best Actress prize. The tale of a young South Korean kid who emigrated to Vancouver with his mother and struggled to fit in and find his identity while facing bullying from Canadian peers and an enforced silence on his heritage. Arswendy Bening Swara of Indonesia won the Best Actor Award for his work in Makbul Mubarak’s Autobiography. The movie centers on a former junta commander who hires a young peasant to portray him in a propaganda biopic in order to gain political support.
Drama in abundance
“There were only dramas in the selection; perhaps the new filmmakers are interested in dramatic issues,” Paolo Sorrentino said to AFP. Additionally, a tribute to the consistently risk-taking actor and producer Tilda Swinton was given on the festival’s last night.
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“It is the chance of my life to have discovered the hidden entrance to a world where I collaborate on movies with some of the best directors working today. The actress asserted, mentioning Wes Anderson and Pedro Almodóvar among others, “When you praise me, you honor my comrades.
Due to the pandemic, the Marrakech film festival was postponed for two years. It returned from November 11–19. For well-known actors like Jim Jarmusch, Leos Carax, and Isabelle Huppert, the red carpet was rolled out.