The projects selected for the 2020 Atlas Workshops online edition are announced

The Atlas Workshops will take place online from 30 November to 3 December with the support of Netflix, a partner of the programme since its establishment in 2018. The industry and talent-development platform of the Marrakech International Film Festival, the Atlas Workshops works side by side with the new generation of filmmakers from Morocco, the Arab world and the African continent to provide them with international exposure.

For this 3rd edition, the Atlas Workshops will work with 23 projects selected from among 230 applications. The selections include projects in development, films in post-production and, exceptionally this year, films whose shooting was interrupted by the current health crisis. Eleven projects are by Moroccan filmmakers and 12 countries from the African continent and the Arab world are represented (Algeria, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Lebanon, Morocco, Niger, Palestine, Rwanda, Sudan and Syria).

 

THE SELECTION OF THE 3rd EDITION OF THE ATLAS WORKSHOPS

PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT
AMONG US (Parmi nous)
– Sofia Alaoui (Morocco)
THE BROTHER (Le Frère) – Michel Kammoun (Lebanon)
THE DREAM BETRAYED ME – Mohammad Shaikhow (Syria)
ELDORADO (Eldorado Il Gusto del Sud) – Alaa Eddine Aljem (Morocco)
KOLI-WALI – Leila Thiam (Central African Republic) | Doc
LIFE AFTER SIHAM (La vie après Siham) – Namir Abdel Messeeh (Egypt)
THE LION OF TERANGA (Le Lion de la Teranga) – Joel Karekezi (Rwanda)
NEON TILAPIA – Tony Koros (Kenya)
THE STORMS (Les Tempêtes) – Dania Reymond-Boughenou (Algeria)
SUDAN REVOLUTION STORIES (Soudan, retiens les chants qui s'effondrent) – Hind Meddeb (Sudan, France) | Doc

 

FILMS IN PRODUCTION OR POST-PRODUCTION
Films in production
FEATHERS OF A FATHER – Omar El Zohairy (Egypt)
RISING UP AT NIGHT (Tongosa) – Nelson Makengo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) | Doc
SUSPENDED (Suspendu(s)) - Myriam El Hajj (Liban) | Doc
Films in post-production
FRAGMENTS FROM HEAVEN – Adnane Baraka (Morocco) | Doc
ZINDER – Aicha Macky (Niger) | Doc

 

ATLAS FILMS SHOWCASE (completed films)
GOLDFISHES (Poissons rouges) – Abdeslam Kelai (Morocco)
LIFE SUITS ME WELL (La vie me va bien) – Al Hadi Ulad Mohand (Morocco)

 

ATLAS CLOSE-UPS (Moroccan projects in development)
ABDELINHO – Hicham Ayouch (Morocco)
FLYING LIKE A BIRD (Bhal Chi Oiseau) – El Mahdi Lyoubi (Morocco) | Doc
HAPPY LOVERS – Hicham Lasri (Morocco)
IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE (Dans la maison de mon père) – Rachida El Garani (Morocco) | Doc
ON THAT DAY (Déjà vu) – Mohanad Yaqubi (Morocco, Palestine) | Doc
SCIROCCO OR THE PILARICA ADVENTURE (Scirocco ou l'aventure du Pilarica) – Yassine Marco Marroccu (Morocco)

The Mother of All lies by Asmae El Moudir, winner of the Atlas Workshops Development Award in 2019 and the Post-Production Award in 2021, wins the Directing Prize at the Un certain regard section of the Cannes Film Festival.

Hounds by Kamal Lazraq, winner of the ArteKino International Prize in 2019, wins the Jury Prize at the Un certain regard section of the Cannes Film Festival.