Marrakech Film Festival Gathers Professional Activities Under Atlas Programs Banner, Launches Atlas Distribution Meetings

The Marrakech Intl. Film Festival has created Atlas Programs, a banner that brings together all of its initiatives for industry professionals. The festival has also launched the Atlas Distribution Meetings, which brings together 60 distribution professionals from the Arab world, Africa and Europe.

The launch of the new name comes as the festival seeks to up its commitment to Moroccan, Arab and African cinema by structuring its support and assistance programs for the new generation of filmmakers and producers from the region in “a clear and coherent manner,” it said.

The Atlas Programs are gathered around four pillars:

The Atlas Workshops, launched in 2018, remain at its core. This artistic and professional support program is aimed at Moroccan, Arab, and African filmmakers and producers, with the goal of supporting film projects at the development and post-production stages.

Each year, the heads of projects receive “tailored guidance” in consultations with professionals from the international industry.

Around this central platform, several programs have been created over the years and these are now integrated under the Atlas Programs umbrella.

Atlas Station, launched in 2023, provides 10 Moroccan directors or producers with support aimed at strengthening their skills and opening up their projects to international audiences.

Starting in 2025, the program expands to invite five Moroccan directors working on short films that are in the post-production stage. This development aims to support emerging talents who are in the early stages of preparing their first feature films, while at the same time increasing the visibility of Moroccan short films at specialized festivals.

Distribution has also become a priority for the festival. Through Atlas Distribution, the festival has established an initiative in the region that encourages the presentation of Moroccan Arab, and African films to new audiences. Created in 2023, the Atlas Distribution Awards recognize distributors who are committed to this objective each year.

As of this upcoming edition, the initiative will be enhanced by the Atlas Distribution Meetings, a new event that brings together 60 distribution professionals from the Arab world, Africa and Europe in Marrakech. Over four days, participating distributors will discover international films presented as part of the festival and Arab and African films in post-production that are participating in the Atlas Workshops.

Finally, the Atlas Press program, launched in 2024, seeks to strengthen the culture of film criticism in Morocco. It consists of two components. The first provides training for journalists working in Morocco, who benefit from a workshop led by an expert in the field. The second, designed for students, aims to inspire careers in journalism by training a new generation of critics capable of supporting the dynamism of local cinema.