Director Kleber Mendonça Filho to Be Patron of Marrakech Film Festival’s Atlas Workshops

Courtesy of Kleber Mendonca Filho/Victor Juca

Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho, best known for The Secret Agent, will serve as a mentor to the filmmakers of the ninth edition of the Atlas Workshops.It i Marrakech Film Festival’s professional platform dedicated to the development of Moroccan, Arab and African cinema, which takes place from Nov. 22 to 26.

Mendonça Filho made his mark on the international scene with Neighboring Sounds (2012), Aquarius (2016) and Bacurau on the Map (2019), which won the Jury Prize at Cannes.

His most recent film, The Secret Agent (2025), won the award for best director at Cannes before receiving 4 Oscar nominations this year.

Mendonça Filho said, “Listening to new ideas and understanding the aspirations of new generations of filmmakers is a source of inspiration for my own work.

“And all of this in Marrakech, such a fascinating city, which hosts such an exceptional film festival. Last year, during my Conversation at the festival, I was asked whether I had ever planned to shoot a film in this city. Serving as the patron of the Atlas Workshops makes me feel as though I’m witnessing, right before my eyes, the birth of new films.”

Selected from among 320 projects in development and 90 films in production or post-production, this edition’s 30 projects and films fall into 3 categories: 14 projects in development, 11 films in production or post-production, and five projects in the Atlas Close-Ups section, which is dedicated to Moroccan cinema.

Countries represented

The 14 countries represented are Algeria, Cabo Verde, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia.

Oscar Directors: Filho, Kleber Mendonça–Marrakech Film Festival’s Atlas Workshops

Director Kleber Mendonça Filho to Be Patron of Marrakech Film Festival’s Atlas Workshops

PROFESSOR / CRITIC / AUTHOR