Luca Guadagnino has been appointed president of the jury for the 21st edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival, replacing the previously announced Thomas Vinterberg, who canceled his attendance due to family reasons.
Guadagnino will be joined by Apprentice Director Ali Abbasi, Indian director Zoya Akhtar (archives), American actress Patricia Arquette (boyhood), Belgian actress Virginie Evera (Memories of Paris), Australian actor Jacob Pink ( Priscilla), British-American actor Andrew Garfield (Spider-Man: No Way Home(Moroccan actress Nadia Kounda)Summer days) and Argentinian director Santiago Mitre (aArgentina, 1985).
Guadagnino arrives at the festival fresh off its release Gay starring Daniel Craig, which follows other popular movies such as Call me by your name and United.
The Italian director spoke of his long relationship with the city of Marrakech and its festival.
“I will never forget the first time I arrived in Marrakech: It must have been more than 20 years ago, when I was a guest of my friend Valentina Cervi, who was a member of the jury of the short film competition. I had never been to Morocco before but my Algerian mother grew up there and moved to Casablanca at the age of five.
The first time I arrived in the great city of Marrakech, it was because of this amazing festival, and since then for me, the city and cinema have been inextricably linked. He added: My Arab DNA is truly engraved in the incredible forces of the Marrakech Festival, and it is a great honor to lead a wonderful jury for the 21st edition.
The jury will award the 21st edition’s Golden Star Award to one of the top 14 films in the competition, following last year’s winner, Asmaa the Director. The Mother of All Lies Decided by a jury headed by Jessica Chastain.
The festival runs from November 29 to December 7.
A source