THE MARRAKECH FESTIVAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO FOUR MAJOR NAMES IN CINÉMA

For over 20 years, the Marrakech International Film Festival has paid homage to artists who embody the vitality of cinema and its ability to bring people together, move them, and inspire them.

For its 22nd edition, the Festival will celebrate four personalities whose careers reflect the richness and diversity of the seventh art. Jodie Foster, Guillermo del Toro, Raouya, and Hussein Fahmi are artists from different backgrounds, each of whom embodies in their own way the universal power of cinema.

With these tributes, Marrakech reaffirms its role as a crossroads of cultures and talents, a place where world cinema converges together and where the voices that shape the collective imagination are heard.

Jodie Foster: Freedom and intelligent acting

An actor since childhood, Jodie Foster has navigated the decades with rare artistic rigor. A two-time Oscar winner, she has established herself as one of Hollywood’s most respected figures, capable of shifting from roles of extraordinary dramatic power to directing intensely personal and visionary works.

“What an honor to discover your beautiful city of Marrakech and to celebrate film at the same time. I can’t wait to experience the historic sites, gardens, and markets, to walk alongside new friends, colleagues, and movie lovers. I feel blessed to have been chosen for this tribute and I look forward to introducing my new French film, Vie Privée (A Private Life) by director Rebecca Zlotowski. This will be a trip we’ll never forget.”

Guillermo del Toro: Storyteller in light and shadow

A master of fantasy, in film after film Guillermo del Toro explores the beauty that hides behind the monstrous. Across his films, terror mingles with tenderness, ugliness with grace. Winner of three Oscars, two for The Shape of Water, and one for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Del Toro has built a body of work of rare visual and emotional intensity, in which every creature reveals a spark of humanity.

“I am thrilled to be invited to return to the wonderful Marrakech International Film Festival. Since my previous visit, both the festival and the city have always been so welcoming to me. I’m especially honored to receive a tribute, and to show the audience my most personal work, Frankenstein. I look forward to seeing you all there.”

Raouya: A voice, a presence… a memory of Moroccan cinema

A true icon of Moroccan cinema, Raouya—who was born Fatima Harandi—has delivered powerful performances and deeply moving portrayals that have left their mark on generations of viewers. From theater to films by Narjiss Nejjar, Noureddine Lakhmari, and Laïla Marrakchi, Raouya has established a rare presence, combining dignity, tenderness, and gravity, echoing the emotions of Morocco as a whole.

“What an immense honor it is to receive this invitation to the Marrakech International Film Festival. What joy and emotion to be celebrated in my own country, in the ochre city, at one of its largest film events. Above all, my connection to the festival is a story of friendship and loyalty. Every encounter with Marrakech and its audience remains a precious moment for me—I have so many memories of exciting films and exchanges. My heartfelt thanks to the organizers. I can’t wait to see my friends and Marrakech audiences again.”

Hussein Fahmi: The elegance and modernity of Arab cinema

With his charismatic presence and captivating gaze, Hussein Fahmi has embodied the nobility and modernity of Egyptian cinema for more than five decades. An accomplished actor, director, and producer, he has successfully combined high standards with immense popularity, highlighting Arab cinema around the world. In each of his roles, he conveys a certain idea of elegance, where the accuracy of his acting matches the truth of his emotions.

“It is a great pleasure to be honored at the prestigious Marrakech International Film Festival on its 2025 edition. Being one of those who attended the festival’s first edition, it gives me a great energy and enthusiasm to get together again with colleagues and friends from across the globe. The city of Marrakech has a special place in my heart as one of my earliest films, Damy wa dmoy wa ebtsamty (My Blood, My Tears, My Smile) was shot there. Coming back to this joyful city to be honored is a very precious moment. Thank you!”

In paying tribute to these four exceptional artists, the Marrakech International Film Festival celebrates cinema in all its forms—the art that brings people together, reflects the diversity of the world, and reminds us each year of the unique place Morocco occupies in the great movement of international cinema.

BIOGRAPHIES

Jodie Foster

In a career spanning over 50 years, Jodie Foster is one of the most critically acclaimed actors of her generation. Her roles in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Taxi Driver, Nell, Contact, Panic Room, and The Brave One have all won her international attention. Foster’s stunning performances in The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs earned her Academy Awards for Best Actress, and her role in Nyad brought her her most recent nomination for Best Supporting Actress. In 2024, Foster’s performance in True Detective: Night Country saw her win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. In 2025, she starred in the French mystery film A Private Life by Rebecca Zlotowski, which was selected for the Official Selection at the Festival de Cannes. Behind the camera, Foster made her motion picture directorial debut in 1991 with Little Man Tate, in which she also starred. She went on to direct Home for the Holidays, The Beaver, Money Monster, and, more recently, episodes of Orange Is the New Black, House of Cards, Black Mirror, and Tales from the Loop.

Guillermo del Toro

Mexican-born filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has created a distinctive cinematic style mixing the world of horror, fantasy, and exuberant personal visual imagery. Since his 1993 feature debut, Cronos, he has directed and produced numerous acclaimed films including The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth, Mimic, Hellboy, Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, and The Shape of Water, which was nominated for thirteen Academy Awards and won Three, including Best Picture and Best Director. His first stop-motion feature, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, which he directed alongside the late Mark Gustafson, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Film. His latest live-action feature, Frankenstein, had its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival.

Raouya

Born Fatima Harandi, Raouya has established herself as one of the most iconic figures in Moroccan theater, cinema, and television. After making her name on the stage, she began her film career thanks to director Mohamed El Abbazi, who offered her a role in Les Trésors de l’Atlas. Her performance caught the attention of Morocco’s leading directors, including Saâd Chraïbi, Jillali Ferhati, Nour-Eddine Lakhmari, Narjiss Nejjar, Laïla Marrakchi, and Abdelhay Laraki. She went on to shine in films such as Thirst, Les Lèvres du silence, Mona Saber, Rock the Casbah, and Cry No More, for which she received the Best Actress Award at the Moroccan National Film Festival in Oujda. Raouya also appeared in renowned films such as Claude Lelouch’s And Now… Ladies and Gentlemen, Hugues Martin and Sandra Martin’s Djinns, and Xavier Beauvois’s Of Gods and Men. For her performance in Saïd Khallaf’s A Mile in My Shoes, she won Best Actress awards at the Carthage Film Festival and the Moroccan National Film Festival in Tangier. In 2018, she received a heartfelt tribute in Alexandria. On television, she has made a lasting impression in Moroccan series such as Mindil Sfia, Saison sèche, and Jabarout, as well as internationally in Affaires étrangères and Une famille formidable. For many filmmakers, Raouya embodies a rare form of excellence, delivering passionate performances that are at once understated, powerful, and deeply human.

Hussein Fahmi

Born in Cairo in 1940, Hussein Fahmi is a leading figure in Egyptian and Arab cinema. After graduating from the Higher Institute of Cinema in 1963, he studied film directing in the United States at the University of California before embarking on a prolific career that would include more than 100 films and series. Noticed in the 1970s for his elegance and charisma, he made his mark in memorable roles in films including Hassan El Imam’s Watch Out for ZouZou (Khally ballak men ZouZou), Said Marzouk’s The Guilty (Al Mozneboon), and Youssef Chahine’s Alexandria: Again and Forever (Iskanderija, Kaman oue Kaman). Alongside his acting career, Fahmi taught directing at the Cairo Academy of Arts for 12 years and directed the Cairo International Film Festival from 1998 to 2001, whose leadership he took up again in 2022. Committed to social causes, he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program and was the first Special Olympics Ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa. A true icon of contemporary Egyptian cinema, Fahmi embodies timeless elegance and a constant commitment to culture and dialogue among peoples.