DUBAI: US actress Jenna Ortega and Anglo-Argentinian actress Anya Taylor-Joy have been added to the jury of the 22nd Marrakech International Film Festival, joining a global lineup of filmmakers and actors who will oversee this year’s competition.
The festival announced recently that the eight-member jury will be led by South Korean director Bong Joon Ho, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind “Parasite.”
The panel is tasked with judging 14 first and second feature films, continuing the festival’s focus on discovering emerging international talent.
Alongside Ortega and Taylor-Joy, the jury includes Brazilian-Algerian director Karim Ainouz, Moroccan filmmaker Hakim Belabbes, French director Julia Ducournau, Iranian actor-director Payman Maadi, and Canadian filmmaker Celine Song.
The competition lineup features 14 titles, including “Aisha Can’t Fly Away” by Morad Mostafa, “Amoeba” by Siyou Tan, “Before the Bright Day” by Shih-Han Tsao, and “Behind the Palm Trees” by Meryem Benm’Barek.
It also features “Broken Voices” by Ondrej Provaznik, “First Light” by James J. Robinson, “Forastera” by Lucia Alena Iglesias, “Ish” by Imran Perretta, and “Laundry” by Zamo Mkhwanazi.
The other films listed are “Memory” by Vladlena Sandu, “My Father and Qaddafi” by Jihan K, “My Father’s Shadow” by Akinola Davies Jr., “Promised Sky” by Erie Sehiri, and “Straight Circle” by Oscar Hudson.
The festival runs from Nov. 28 to Dec. 6, with the award winners announced during the closing ceremony on the final day.
For its 22nd edition, the festival will honor four major figures: US actress and filmmaker Jodie Foster, Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, Moroccan actress Raouya and Egyptian actor Hussein Fahmi.
Ortega is known for her lead role in Netflix’s series “Wednesday.” Her credits include “Scream” (2022), “Scream VI,” “The Fallout,” “You,” and Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” reflecting work across television and film, including horror and other genre titles.
Taylor-Joy first drew attention for her role in Robert Eggers’ film “The Witch.” She has since appeared in Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Last Night in Soho,” “The Northman,” “Emma” and “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” working across period dramas, thrillers and large-scale action films.
