MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) 鈥�
The Marrakech International Film Festival bestowed its top prize Friday on 鈥淗appy Holidays,鈥� a Palestinian drama set in Israel whose screenplay won an award at the Venice Film Festival in September.
The film, directed by Scandar Copti, follows Israeli and Palestinian characters facing familial and societal pressures in present-day Haifa and stars both professional and non-professional actors. It is the first Palestinian film to win Marrakech鈥檚 Etoile D鈥橭r award.
Screenwriter Mona Copti in an acceptance speech said the film team鈥檚 joy at winning was tempered by war in the Middle East and she denounced what she called the dehumanization of Palestinians
Eight features, each a director鈥檚 first or second film, competed in the festival. The winning films tackled social issues through the lens of family, a theme that the festival鈥檚 artistic director Remi Bonhomme underlined at its opening.
The festival awarded its jury prize to two additional films from Somalia and Argentina. The nine-member jury awarded Mo Harawe鈥檚 鈥淭he Village Next to Paradise鈥� 鈥� a story about a family living under the threat of drone strikes dreaming of a better life 鈥� and Silvina Schnicer鈥檚 鈥淭he Cottage鈥� about children who commit an unspeakable act at a rich family鈥檚 summer vacation home.
鈥淭he Village Next to Paradise鈥� participated last year in the Marrakech festival鈥檚 Atlas Workshops, an initiative to develop filmmakers from Morocco, the Middle East and Africa and promote their work. In his acceptance speech, Harawe lauded the film鈥檚 Somali cast and crew and highlighted the significance of the award for Somalia.
Cecilia Rainero, the lead actor of 鈥淭he Cottage,鈥� thanked the jury and said it was meaningful amid Argentinian President Javier Milei鈥檚 moves to defund the country鈥檚 film industry.
The Associated Press
