Morocco and the Silence on Palestine at the Marrakech Film Festival: Between Diplomacy and Popular Solidarity
BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- The International Film Festival of Marrakech, a gathering in the global cinema scene, witnessed a deafening silence this year. Hollywood and international stars attending the event found themselves in an awkward position, unable to speak about Palestine and the Gaza ongoing war. The reasons behind this silence are more intricate than they seem, involving politics, diplomacy, and popular solidarity.
The International Film Festival of Marrakech has long been an essential event for cinephiles worldwide. Each year, the Moroccan city transforms into a hub for celebrating the seventh art, attracting internationally renowned actors, directors, and producers. However, this year, the festival took place in an unusual atmosphere marked by palpable discomfort and a weighty silence.
Political Discomfort
At the core of this unease lies Morocco’s foreign policy, which finds itself in a delicate position concerning events in Palestine. In 2020, Morocco signed a normalization agreement with the Zionist entity, a diplomatic move that brought the two countries closer. However, this normalization of relations created internal tensions as the Moroccan people expressed unwavering solidarity with the Palestinians.
The streets of Rabat, Casablanca, and other major cities in the kingdom witnessed massive marches in support of Palestine. This eventually irked King Mohammed VI, who ordered the crackdown on some of these demonstrations. Morocco thus finds itself caught between its alliance with the Zionist entity and its people’s solidarity with Palestine.
The Silence of the Stars
In this complex political context, Marrakech Film Festival organizers received clear instructions: avoid any discussion on the situation in Palestine and the Gaza war. Moroccan and foreign journalists were discouraged from asking questions about this sensitive issue during interviews with celebrities attending the festival.
The online newspaper Le Desk attempted to break this silence by seeking the opinions of foreign actors and directors on the Middle East situation. However, it found that most preferred not to address the topic. Hollywood stars, accustomed to speaking on various issues, found themselves unable to discuss Palestine.
Jury President Jessica Chastain was prevented from answering questions about Palestine by her press officer, who insisted that the event was dedicated to cinema and nothing else. Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen simply replied, “Not today” when the topic was brought up. It is clear that the present actors and actresses were aware of the restrictions imposed by the organizers.
Discomfort on the Red Carpet
The festival itself unfolded in an unusual atmosphere. There was no red carpet, and the jury’s press conference was absent. Even renowned director Martin Scorsese, a festival regular, was conspicuously absent this year.
Stars were visibly uncomfortable whenever Palestine was mentioned. American director Dee Rees stated, “I think there’s nothing that could speak to the issue more clearly and boldly than the films that we see at the festival.” She refused to address the question on the red carpet, stating that it was not her role.
British director Johanna Hogg also avoided the subject, saying, “Such restrictions are never imposed on the media.” Festival organizers were vigilant, even escorting Iranian actress Zar Amir away from cameras when the Palestine question was raised.
Conclusion
The Marrakech International Film Festival was marked by unsettling silence this year, with Hollywood and international stars prevented from discussing Palestine and the Gaza ongoing war. The reasons for this discomfort are complex, entwined with diplomacy, Morocco’s foreign policy, and its people’s solidarity with the Palestinians.
Translated from: https://www.algerie-focus.com/le-maroc-et-le-silence-sur-la-palestine-au-festival-du-film-de-marrakech-entre-diplomatie-et-solidarite-populaire/
