Cannes: Through its rich and diverse participation in the 79th Cannes Film Festival in 2026, Morocco confirms the dynamism of its film industry, the excellence of its talents, and its determination to sustainably strengthen its influence on the international stage, states the Moroccan Cinematographic Centre (CCM).
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, during this edition, the Moroccan presence was marked by several highlights, including the selection of Laila Marrakchi’s film “La Más Dulce” in the “Un Certain Regard” section, and Saïd Hamich Benlarbi’s medium-length film “À la recherche de l’oiseau gris aux rayures vertes” (In Search of the Grey Bird with Green Stripes), presented at the Directors’ Fortnight, the CCM highlighted in a press release.
The projects officially presented at the Marché du Film (Cannes Film Market) include “Wolfmother” (Les fils de la louve) by Ismaël El Iraki, presented at the Investors Circle, and “Laissées-pour-compte” (Left Behind) by Kenza Tazi, selected for La Fabrique Cin
éma de l’Institut français.
Samia Zerrou also presented her project “Loucham” during a pitching session organized by the Ecole Kourtrajmé. This same project will also be on the program for the next edition of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
All the Moroccan project leaders in attendance were able to explore prospects for international co-productions and financing. In this regard, the “Wolfmother” project generated strong interest among international professionals and investors.
According to the CCM, these projects illustrate the ability of Moroccan projects to mobilize international partners and to integrate into structured financing dynamics on an international scale.
In this context, “the presentation of Antonin Baudry’s film ‘La Bataille de Gaulle’, shot partly in Morocco, illustrates the renewed confidence of international productions in the Kingdom, driven by the quality of its infrastructure, the diversity of its natural settings, the expertise of its professionals, as well as the
Moroccan cash rebate program implemented by the CCM,” the statement notes.
The Moroccan presence also stood out through participation in several conferences and round tables organized as part of the Cannes Film Festival and the Marché du Film.
The director of the CCM, Mohamed-Reda Benjelloun, and the president of the CCM’s Cinema Exhibition Support Commission, Mohamed Khouna, spoke during the Cinemas Club round table at the Marché du Film. The panel was organized by Box-Office international on the theme: “Middle East and Africa: New Lands of Opportunity for Cinemas?”.
Furthermore, director Laïla Marrakchi and producer Lamia Chraîbi took part in panels dedicated, respectively, to “The Plural Mediterranean: Renewed Narratives and Aesthetics” and the support of emerging talents.
The Atlas Workshops of the Marrakech International Film Festival were also presented at the AfroNova Pavilion as part of a panel dedicated to new frameworks for international co-production.
On the occasion of this 79th edition of th
e Cannes Film Festival, the Kingdom of Morocco consolidated its presence within the Marché du Film through the Moroccan Pavilion, set up in the Village International, a true space for promotion, professional networking, and international cooperation.