The Étoile d'Or is thus awarded for the first time in the history of the festival to a Moroccan film.

This 96-minute feature film recounts a real story of the filmmaker, who travels to her parents' house in Casablanca to help them move. As she begins sorting through all her childhood belongings, she discovers a photo that becomes the starting point of an investigation in which she questions all the little lies her family tells, gradually exploring memories of her neighborhood and country.

The closing ceremony was also marked by the presentation of the Jury Prize, awarded jointly to the films "Hounds" by Kamal Lazraq (Morocco) and "Bye Bye Tiberias" by Lina Soualem (Palestine).

As for the Best Directing Prize, it went to the Senegalese director Ramata-Toulaye Sy for her film "Banel & Adama," while the Best Actress award was won by Asja Zara Lagumdžija for her role in "Excursion" by Una Gunjak (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

As for the award for Best Performance by an Actor, it was earned by Turkish Doğa Karakaş for his role in "Dormitory" by Nehir Tuna.

On this occasion, the jury president, American actress and producer Jessica Chastain, emphasized that the power of telling a story recalls the reasons behind dedication to to art, adding that this generation of filmmakers confronts storytelling boldly and sincerely.

"These directors examine their heritage and wonder what they will do with it," she continued, noting that "if this is the future of cinema, the world is in excellent hands."

Led by Jessica Chastain, the jury of this 20th edition consists of nine globally renowned personalities, including Iranian actress Zar Amir, French actress Camille Cottin, Australian actor and director Joel Edgerton, British director Joanna Hogg, American director Dee Rees, Swedish-Egyptian director Tarek Saleh, Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård, and French-Moroccan author Leïla Slimani.

In total, 14 films were screened in the official competition, including 10 debut feature films and 8 directed by women.

This edition featured a diverse range of productions with 75 films from 36 countries, distributed across various sections, including the official competition, gala screenings, special screenings, the 11th continent, the panorama of Moroccan cinema, youth sessions, and films presented in tribute.

The festival also provided a platform for debate and exchange with a wide range of renowned guests, as part of the "In Conversation With" program, one of the most anticipated events of the festival for intense and engaging discussions.

In addition to the festivities, the Marrakech International Film Festival organized the 6th edition of the Atlas Workshops, a support program for young filmmakers from Africa and the Middle East with projects in development and films in post-production.

Furthermore, children from the Al Haouz province, shaken by the September 8 earthquake, were invited, during the 20th edition of the festival, to attend screenings in the Young Audience section, an initiative aimed at highlighting the festival's role in promoting the seventh art among young audiences.