The film draws inspiration from actual events in Tunisia, where sub-Saharan migrants faced a wave of hostility in the media and on the streets, resulting in violence, unjust detentions and the forced expulsion of thousands.
The 22nd Marrakech International Film Festival came to a close at the Congress Palace, where Erige Sehiri’s Promised Sky was announced as the winner of the coveted Golden Star Grand Prize. The finale capped nine days of celebrations that brought together global film stars, artists and media figures in honour of international cinema.
The winning film was selected by a jury led by Korean director Bong Joon Ho, who praised it for its poetic strength and boldly humanistic perspective. Chosen from 13 titles in the official competition, the 93-minute feature, supported by the festival’s Atlas Workshops, follows the intertwined lives of three women in modern Tunisia as they navigate themes of displacement, solidarity and survival.
At the center of the story is Marie, an Ivorian pastor and former journalist living in Tunis, who opens her home to Naney, a young mother seeking opportunity, and Jolie, a resilient student carrying her family’s aspirations. Their fragile sanctuary evolves into a makeshift family after they rescue Kenza, a four-year-old shipwreck survivor, forcing them to confront a shifting and increasingly tense social landscape.
The cast includes Aïssa Maïga, Laetitia Ky, Debora Lobe Nanay, Mohamed Grayaa and Foued Zaazaa. The project was produced by Maneki Films and Henia Production, with international sales by Luxbox Films and regional distribution through MAD Distribution.
Two works shared the Jury Prize: Vladlena Sandu’s Memory, a deeply personal look at childhood during the Chechen conflict, and Jihan K’s My Father and Qaddafi, which explores the disappearance of a Libyan opposition figure. Oscar Hudson received the Best Directing Prize for his debut feature Straight Circle. Debora Lobe Naney won Best Female Performance for her role in Promised Sky, while Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù was awarded Best Male Performance for his work in Akinola Davies Jr.’s My Father’s Shadow.
The international jury featured Karim Aïnouz, Hakim Belabbes, Julia Ducournau, Payman Maadi, Jenna Ortega, Celine Son, and Anya Taylor-Joy, bringing together a diverse group of global voices.
This year’s festival also paid tribute to four influential cinema figures, Hussein Fahmi, Jodie Foster, Raouya and Guillermo del Toro, while its “Conversations” series welcomed Bong Joon Ho, Guillermo del Toro, Andrew Dominik, and Laurence Fishburne, reinforcing Marrakech’s role as a vital hub for industry discourse.
A total of 81 films from 30 countries were showcased across the festival’s various sections. Alongside the competition lineup were gala screenings, tributes, the Horizons programme, the 11th Continent selection, and a dedicated Moroccan Cinema Panorama. More than 47,000 attendees participated, including 7,000 young viewers engaged through family-focused initiatives.
The Atlas Workshops convened 350 industry professionals around 28 in-development projects, providing crucial mentorship, support that notably contributed to the creation of Promised Sky.
