Emotion, creativity and rigor combine for Marrakesh film festival

Emotion, rigor and creativity will blend in the movies featured in the Marrakesh film festival slated next October 3-8 in the Ochre city.

Emotion will be embodied in the tribute that will be paid to the late French director and film critic, Daniel Toscan du Plantier, the man who helped organize the festival's two precedent editions.

Organizers have strictly adhered to rigor in the selection of the 73 movies that will be shown at the festival, out of over 1,000 movies and 200 short movies.

Creativity will be cared for by the exceptional jury chosen to judge the movies, with German director Volker Schlondorff and British actor, Jeremy Irons for the short movies selection. Together with Schlondorff, who directed Oscar winning "The Tin Drum," the movie jury includes other artists and intellectuals, from all generations and regions of the world. For the short movie selection, the jury features actors, from Spain, Canada, New Zealand, India, France and Morocco.

The opening ceremony, to be presented by French actress Nathalie Baye, will feature Moroccan movie "Mille mois" (one hundred months) by young director Faouzi Bensaidi.

A series of tributes will honor American director Ridley Scott, who has shot at least two movies in Morocco, Oliver Stone who is preparing to shoot his "Alexander" epic in the kingdom, French actor Alain Delon, Egyptian actress Youssra, Moroccan actress Amina Rachid and Indian star Amitabh Bacchan.