It was raining stars at the opening of the International Film Festival in Marrakesh.
Now in its 13th year, it has grown to become a globally recognised event, attracting a host of celebrities from around the world.
US actress Patricia Clarkson is among this year’s jury:
“It’s so beautiful here and I’m loving it, I think it’s going to be very hard to go home, it’s so glamorous,” she said.
“It’s the festival’s 13th edition, it’s like a big baby which has grown, and we are very proud, truly proud to see this festival exist and all these extraordinary people here,” said Moroccan actress Asmaa Khamlichi.
The president of the jury, US director Martin Scorcese, launched the event. It’s his fourth time at the Marrakech Film Festival. He handed US actress Sharon Stone the festival’s Tribute award for her lifelong career in films such as Basic Instinct, Total Recall and Scorcese’s Casino, which earned her a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
“I feel very excited about being honoured here,” said Stone. “I think it’s a beautiful country and it’s a great honour to be here and a great moment for me and my career.”
A hotly anticipated Bollywood version of Romeo and Juliet opened the festival. Devdas director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was there to present his new film, Ram Leela, starring Bollywood celebrity Deepika Padukone:
“Ram Leela, for me, has been a wonderful journey, a film that I was exhausted after, physically, emotionally, mentally, it’s a film that’s been very very special for the entire journey, and I’m glad that the very first film festival that I have attended is with this film, Ram Leela,” she said.
A box office hit in India, Ram Leela is presented out of competition at the festival.
Fifteen movies are competing for the Golden Star which will be handed out on December 7.
