MOROCCO: Actress Sharon Stone is presented with the tribute award at the opening ceremony of the 13th Marrakech International Film Festival

Record ID: 730267

  • Title: MOROCCO: Actress Sharon Stone is presented with the tribute award at the opening ceremony of the 13th Marrakech International Film Festival
  • Date: 1st December 2013
  • Summary: MEMBERS OF THE JURY POSING FOR PHOTOS ON THE RED CARPET TWO MEMBERS OF THE JURY: PATRICIA CLARKSON (LEFT) AND FATIH AKIN CLOSE-UP OF FRENCH ACTRESS MARION COTILLARD, A MEMBER OF THE JURY MEDIA VARIOUS OF AMERICAN ACTRESS SHARON STONE ON THE RED CARPET CLOSE-UP STONE'S FACE CAMERA SCREEN SHOWING STONE TALKING TO MEDIA
  • Embargoed: 16th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Morocco
  • Country: Morocco
  • Reuters ID: LVA9IFLKLN4F8R85CRB9Z15S3Z41
  • Story Text: Stars from various corners of the world graced the red carpet at the Marrakech International Film Festival on Friday (November 29).
    American screen goddess Sharon Stone and Egyptian screen legend Adil Imam stole the limelight as they, along with a number of international stars, posed for the fans and the media ahead of the festival's opening ceremony.
    Last year, the festival paid a special tribute to Indian cinema. This year, it is the turn of the Scandinavian cinema with a retrospective of no less than 41 films spanning from 1928 to 2013 and coming from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
    The festival director, French producer Melita Toscan Du Plantier, told Reuters TV that a tribute to the Scandinavian cinema was overdue.

    "It is an immense cinema. It is a magnificent cinema since Dryer and Bergman. It produces great filmmakers who receive awards in the entire world such as Thomas Vinterberg and Lans von Trier. So it was high time to pay a tribute to this magnificent cinema," she said.
    The Marrakech festival is traditionally known for its thick French flavour and this year was no exception, with many French artists in attendance. A number of Egyptian big names were also present, including Adil Imam and Ezzat El Alayli, a well known and loved actor in Morocco and across the Arab World.
    El Alayli was overwhelmed by the welcome he received in Marrakech and said he felt as if he were in his native Egypt.

    "Morocco and Egypt are one country. We want to get rid of the borders because we are one country. Our traditions are one as well as are our culture, dreams and ambitions. We have the same art and the same feelings. We have so many things in common," he told Reuters.
    Moroccan actor Mohamed Khouyi and American actress Sharon Stone are among a number of individual actors and filmmakers whom this year's festival will pay special tribute to for the distinguished work over the years.

    "I am very pleased with this tribute because those who were honoured before me deserved this distinction. This tribute is an encouragement and also an incentive for us to give more and to be more creative," said Khouyi.

    "I feel very excited about being honoured here. I think it is a beautiful country and I think it's a great honour to be here and a great moment for me and my career," said Stone, the star of Basic Instinct.
    The festival's jury will be chaired by American director Martin Scorsese, to whom the Marrakech festival had already paid tribute to twice - in 2002 and 2005. Scorsese made two of his most important films on Moroccan soil: The last temptations of Christ (1988) and Kundun (1996). He was also decorated by King Mohammed VI in 2008.
    Scorsese said the festival is a unique opportunity to meet filmmakers from all over the world.

    "To be here in Marrakech with this festival is very important because it is like a good crossroad of cinema and filmmakers from all the world coming from Asia, South America and America, all over for us to be able to meet and exchange ideas, discuss, argue, and for cinema, international cinema," said Scorsese at a press conference with the other jury members.
    Although Moroccan films rarely win accolades at the Marrakech festival, local filmmakers say they're more than happy to benefit from the experiences of famous producers and get inspirations from some of the cinematic masterpieces on show.
    The 13th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival takes place from November 29 to December 7.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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