Marrakech Short Film Festival 2025: Celebrating Creativity and Emerging Talents
The 5th edition of the Marrakech Short Film Festival (MSFF) concluded on Wednesday, October 1, at the Centre Culturel Les Etoiles de Jamaa El Fna, turning the red city into a true international hub for cinema and artistic innovation.
The closing night offered an immersive experience: guests were welcomed on the Berber carpet, followed by the official presentation and screenings of the competition films. From 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM, audiences were transported into diverse cinematic worlds before the awards ceremony highlighted the excellence and diversity of the featured talents.
International and National Talents Honored
The Nakhil Prize, awarded for the international competition, recognized Shadows by Rand Beiruty for Best Director and Stero by Tevin Kimathi and Milan Taris as Best Film, showcasing the originality and narrative strength of the submitted works.
In the national competition, Milk Brothers by Kenza Tazi won Best Film, while Chikha by Zahoua Raji and Ayoub Layoussifi received Best Director. Actress Nisrine Adam was awarded for her performance in Beneath a Mother’s Feet, and Lady of the Grave by Mohamed Allali received a special mention from the jury.
Partners’ Excellence Awards
International partners recognized the most outstanding films:
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Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival: Beneath a Mother’s Feet — Elias Suhail
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Alexandria Short Film Festival: Mirror To Sell — Amal Hicham
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La Luna Productions: Chikha — Zahoua Raji & Ayoub Layoussifi and DarHome — Salma El Belghiti
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Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF): Milk Brothers — Kenza Tazi
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Locarno Film Festival: Chikha — Zahoua Raji & Ayoub Layoussifi
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ZINEBI Bilbao: recognition awarded to all films in competition
Festival’s Coup de Coeur and Artistic Residency
Guest of honor Nour-Eddine Lakhmari awarded his “Coup de Coeur” prize to The Zero Line by Chaman Ramesh Kishan. This prize grants the winner an invitation to Morocco for a creative research residency in partnership with Lakhmari, providing a unique framework to develop their artistic vision.
Pitch Your Short: the voices of tomorrow
The Pitch Your Short program, dedicated to supporting emerging filmmakers, showcased Salma El Belghiti with her project Kanaf. She also stood out with DarHome, which won the La Luna Productions Excellence Award.
In addition, Gabriel Lavalent received the Post-Production Award by Digital Factory, granting him professional support in completing his project.
Looking ahead to 2026: intangible heritage of Marrakech
In partnership with the Regional Tourism Council of Marrakech (CRT), the Festival is launching the call for submissions for its 2026 edition, which will highlight films that showcase the intangible heritage of Marrakech.
The Marrakech Short Film Festival 2025 thus fulfilled its mission: providing a platform of expression and encounter for filmmakers worldwide, celebrating creativity in all its forms, and guiding the new generation toward excellence.