Upon their arrival, HRH Prince Moulay Rachid and TRH Princess Lalla Meryem and Princess Lalla Oum Kaltoum reviewed a detachment of the auxiliary forces that paid the honors and were greeted by minister of tourism, air transportation, handicraft and social economy Mohamed Sajid, and culture and communication minister Mohamed El Aaraj.

HRH Prince Moulay Rachid and TRH Princess Lalla Meryem and Princess Lalla Oum Kaltoum were also greeted mainly by the two deputy presidents of the said foundation Faïçal Laraïchi and Sarim El Haq Fassi Fihri.

Afterwards, HRH Prince Moulay Rachid and TRH Princess Lalla Meryem and Princess Lalla Oum Kaltoum headed to the VIP stand where they were greeted by the jury, foreign stars and national and foreign partners.

Held under the high patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, The 17th Marrakesh International Film Festival opened, Friday at the city's Palais des Congrès, in the presence of an array of national and foreign TV stars, and headliners from the spheres of culture and art.