Sean Penn and David Cronenberg will receive the award at the 2024 Marrakech Film Festival

Sean Penn, Canadian writer-director David Cronenberg and the late Moroccan star Naïma Elmcherqui will be honored at the 21st edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival in Morocco.

Festival organisers, unveiling the news on Wednesday, described them as “three major artists whose contribution and influence have had a significant impact on cinema for several decades”.

For his tribute, Penn will make his first appearance at the Marrakech festival and his first visit to the country of Morocco, organizers said.

“A revelation from his very first roles, Sean Penn established himself in the 80s and 90s as one of the most gifted actors of his generation thanks to collaborations with prestigious directors, including Brian De Palma, Oliver Stone, David Fincher, Terrence Malick and Woody Allen,” the festival said, praising his “intense acting, passion and dedication to his craft” in all of his work. “In addition to being one of the greatest actors of contemporary cinema, Penn is also a renowned director whose critically acclaimed films explore themes of justice, communion with nature, and the conflicts that devastate the world.”

Naima Elmcherhere

Courtesy of Marrakech International Film Festival/Yassine Toumi

Elmcherqui, who died on October 5, was recognized as a national treasure and one of Morocco's most beloved personalities. “Since the 1960s, he has illuminated the national cultural scene with his exceptional talent, his natural elegance and his legendary benevolence,” the festival said. “Her career, which has taken her from stage performances to appearances on the big and small screen, has allowed her to take on a multitude of roles, and her captivating personality has touched the hearts of several generations of Moroccans.”

With a posthumous tribute, Marrakech organizers promised to honor “the memory of an exceptional artist and a deeply devoted woman who leaves behind an extraordinarily rich body of work.”

Cronenberg and his films have long since achieved cult status. “Cronenberg's 23 feature films make him one of the most recognized artists of our time and have won numerous awards, including awards at the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice International Film Festival,” the festival highlighted.

The Marrakech festival runs from November 29th to December. 7.

David Cronenberg, courtesy of Caitlin Cronenberg

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