Rabat, November 13, 2025 — The Marrakech International Film Festival has announced the distinguished roster of filmmakers, actors, and industry leaders who will headline its highly anticipated Conversations program during the festival’s 22nd edition. Known as one of the most intimate and thought-provoking components of the festival, the program offers a rare platform where global cinematic voices come together to exchange ideas, artistic philosophies, and personal journeys.
Designed as a space to explore the craft of filmmaking from fresh angles, the Conversations program brings creators on stage to reflect on the essence of the seventh art — how stories are conceived, how performances are shaped, and how cinema continues to evolve.
This year, the Festival welcomes an exceptional lineup of international icons, including:
- Bong Joon Ho – Palme d’Or winner and four-time Oscar-winning South Korean director of Parasite
- Guillermo del Toro – Mexican filmmaker and three-time Oscar winner behind The Shape of Water and Pinocchio
- Andrew Dominik – Acclaimed Australian director of Chopper and Blonde
- Laurence Fishburne – American screen legend known for The Matrix and Boyz n the Hood
- Jodie Foster – Two-time Oscar-winning American actor and director of The Silence of the Lambs
- Karan Johar – Influential Indian director, writer, and producer
- Bill Kramer – CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
- Nadine Labaki – Award-winning Lebanese director of Capernaum
- Kleber Mendonça Filho – Celebrated Brazilian filmmaker of Bacurau
- Jafar Panahi – Renowned Iranian director and 2025 Palme d’Or winner
- Tahar Rahim – Award-winning French actor known for A Prophet
- Yousra – Iconic Egyptian actor and longtime figure of Arab cinema
Featured Panel Conversations
- Virginie Efira & Chiara Mastroianni
A reflection on the craft of acting, artistic freedom, and the ways cinema influences our understanding of the world. - Filming Memory: Between Collective History and the Intimate
A deep dive into Moroccan documentary cinema with:
- Asmae El Moudir, director of the Cannes-winning The Mother of All Lies
- Karima Saïdi, filmmaker of A Way Home
The discussion will explore themes of personal and collective memory, exile, and the evolving social fabric of Morocco.
About the Guests
The Festival also shared summarized biographies of its prestigious participants, highlighting their notable contributions to global cinema. Among them:
- Bong Joon Ho, known for genre-bending films exploring social inequality
- Guillermo del Toro, master of modern fantasy and horror
- Andrew Dominik, acclaimed for stylized, character-driven storytelling
- Virginie Efira, César and Magritte-winning actor
- Asmae El Moudir, rising Moroccan filmmaker celebrated internationally
- Jodie Foster, actor-director with a career spanning over five decades
- Karan Johar, one of Bollywood’s most influential voices
- Nadine Labaki, known for socially driven cinema
- Kleber Mendonça Filho, leading Brazilian auteur
- Jafar Panahi, globally respected filmmaker working under immense restrictions
- Tahar Rahim, versatile French actor with international success
- Yousra, beloved icon of Arab film and television
The 22nd Marrakech International Film Festival promises an enriching program where cinematic legends and emerging voices come together, continuing the festival’s legacy as a space where cinema is celebrated, questioned, and reimagined.