New films include Moroccan director Asmae El Moudir, whose “The Mother of All Lies” won Best Documentary at Cannes and won the Etower d’Or in Marrakech, Lebanese director Mounia Akl, whose “Costa Brava, Lebanon” won awards in Toronto and London, and Jordanian director Amjad Al Rashid, whose “Inshallah a Boy” won awards at Cannes, Rotterdam and Camerimage. 28 projects have been selected for the 8th Atlas Workshop, the industry sector of the Marrakech Film Festival.
This year will feature the latest films from Palestinian directors Skandar Copti (who won the Etoile d’Or in Marrakech last year for Happy Holidays) and Maha Hadji (Personal Affair, Mediterranean Fever), as well as Burkina Faso director Boubacar Sangare’s adaptation of Augustin Sonde Coulibaly’s 1982 novel Les du délincants. (“The Golden Life,” 2022 Atlas Workshop Participants).
The Atlas Workshop also includes a new work by Tanzania’s Amir Shivji (Tug of War, which premiered at the 2021 Toronto Film Festival). Egyptians Jad Chahine (The Call of the Stream, selected for La Cinef at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival) and Mohamed Hamad (The Wizard Green, screened at the 2016 Locarno Film Festival). and Amartey Armal from Ghana (“Tsutsu-e”, selected for the 2022 Cannes Short Story Competition).
Lebanese participants include Vatche Bulgurjian (Tramontant, which was screened at Cannes Critics’ Week 2016); Rami Kodei, whose work has been shown at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and the BFI London Film Festival. and editor Michel Tian makes his fiction film debut in Marrakech.
The selection includes Moroccan filmmaker Basma Rukioui (2024 Atlas Station participant), Zineb Wakrim, whose Aiyur was selected for La Cinef in Cannes 2023, Laila Malakki (Marok, Rock the Kasbah), and director Mohamed Zinedine, who will be releasing an exclusive first look at his new fiction film on Atlas Film. Showcase.
In addition, the Atlas Close-up section will feature five feature-length projects in development led by Moroccan filmmakers Halima Elhatabi, Reda Rahmoid, Zahoa Razi, Ayoub Raiyousifi, Shaden Saffiedine Tazi, and Reina Tahiri.
Romanian director Cristian Mungiu is this year’s patron of Atlas Workshop, which will run from November 30th to December 4th. Mungiu, who won the Palme d’Or for 4 Months 3 Weeks 2 Days at Cannes in 2007, said: “I’m very happy and delighted to be returning to Marrakech, a vibrant festival that uses the power of cinema to promote and unite people from all parts of the world.” As I accept the position of patron of the 2025 Atlas Workshop, I hope that there is much for me and the filmmakers I will meet to learn from this encounter. Movies are a great tool for investigating reality and getting to know others despite all stereotypes, and I think we should use them as a tool to focus on what unites us rather than our differences. ”
Projects and films selected for the 2025 Atlas Workshop
Projects under development
“Akal”, Basma Lukioui (Morocco), first full-length documentary
“Chapa 100”, Ike Langa (Mozambique), second full-length novel
“Chentian” Suha Arraf (Palestine), second full-length novel
“A Childhood”, Scandal Copti (Palestine), third feature documentary
“Les Dieux Délinquants”, first novel by Boubacar Sangare (Burkina Faso)
“Hold Me (If You Want)” by Mounia Akl (Lebanon), second full-length novel
“Last Cow” Amir Shivji (Tanzania), second full-length novel
“The Marches”, Vatche Bulgurdjian (Lebanon), second full-length novel
“Simeon Idris” Zineb Wakrim (Morocco), first full-length novel
“Under Green Skies”, Jad Chahine (Egypt), first novel
“Under Her Eye” Amjad Al Rashid (Jordan), second full-length novel
“Vanda”, Camie Lara (Angola), first novel
During the filming or post-production of a movie
“Don’t Let the Sun Go Up on Me” Asmae El Moudir (Morocco), second feature-length documentary
“Goma Enough Is Enough” (Goma Trop C’est Trop), Elise Sawasawa (Democratic Republic of Congo), first full-length documentary
“Grey Glow” (Lueur Grise), Michel Tian (Lebanon), first novel
“La Más Dulce”, Laila Malacki (Morocco), third full-length novel
“Orient Adagio” (Kitar al-Sharq al-Bati), Maha Haji (Palestine), third full-length novel
“Safe Exit”, Mohamed Hamad (Egypt), second full-length novel
“The Station” Sara Ishak (Yemen), first full-length novel
“Journey to Jerusalem” Michel Zaladil and Gaby Zaladil (Lebanon), first full-length novel
“Vagabond”, Amartey Almal (Ghana), first full-length novel
“Wolves”, Rami Kodei (Lebanon), first novel
Atlas close-up
“Earth and Ashes” (Terre et Sundres), Reina Tahiri (Morocco), first full-length novel
“Into the Blue Night” (Vers La Nuit Bleue), Halima Elhatabi (Morocco), first novel
“Remontada”, Reda Lahmouid (Morocco), first novel
“The Tanjawi” (Le Tangérois), Zahoua Raji & Ayoub Layoussifi (Morocco), first fiction feature
“Today I am 25 years old” by Sheden Saffiedine Taji (Morocco), first novel
atlas film showcase
“Until Dawn” (Jusqu’à L’aube), Mohamed Zinedine (Morocco), fiction feature
Participants selected for Atlas Station 2025 and short films in post-production
Atlas Station – Selected Moroccan Experts
Lamia Bengeroun
Kenza Verada Amor
Ines Lehair
Linda Kibaa
Zainab Rabaa
Fadila Taha
Oumaima Zekri Ajarai
Atlas Station – Short film in post-production
“Barzakh” (Barzakh: Le Monde Intermediaire), Kenza Taji (Morocco), second short story
“Rain Bride” (Taslit N’ounzar), Driss Ouaamar (Morocco), first animated short film in production
“Rues Désertes” (Rues Désertes), Batur Benazou (Morocco), first short story film
“Mesku Elil” Adnan Rami (Morocco), third short story
