Marrakech is an entire world of its own. You probably have seen a picture or two of the “Red City” while browsing the internet, but what you may not know is that this city holds within itself a rich history and a joy of living that you can only experience if you get the chance to visit it.
The city is worth visiting throughout the whole year, but what’s a better occasion to do so than during the famous Marrakech International Film Festival ?
To begin with, The Marrakech International Film Festival is known to be a crossroad of intellects and talents, gathering in one place filmmakers, producers, directors and actors from across the world. The festival sets a solid ground for cross-cultural exchanges and enables personalities from the 7th art to bond with their peers in a magical atmosphere.
The 18th edition (November 29th to December 7th, 2019) witnessed again the outstanding concept “a conversation with”, which allows the public, media and cinema professionals to meet with giants of the cinema industry in an open conversation. Legendary personalities like Martin Scorsese, Guillermo Del Toro, Agnès Varda, Yousry Nasrallah, Cristian Mungiu, and Thierry Frémaux all took part in this initiative in the previous edition, which added further attractiveness to this tremendous artistic celebration. Another good reason to attend the festival is the new Industry and Talent Development Program, The Atlas Workshops, meant to support emerging filmmakers in their journey.
For attendees of the festival, there are several things you can do aside to make your stay in Marrakech even more enjoyable, and in this article, we will guide through some of them to help you get the best out of your trip.
Away from the festival’s vibe, it is almost impossible to summarize the beauty of Marrakech in a few words, its uniqueness and authenticity are attracting visitors from all over the globe for many decades. And whether you choose to stay in one of its countless modern hotels or in one of its luxury riads, the vibrant spirit of Marrakech will be present in every detail of your journey.
The beating heart of the Ochre City is The Place Jamâa El Fna, a UNESCO-preserved site and a meeting point of artists, tourists, food lovers and local people rhyming together to create a beautiful painting. Spontaneous, yet mystical, this place will definitely put you in the mood to uncover all that the city has to offer.
One way for you to lose the track of time when in Marrakech, would be to roam inside its old Medina and to explore its historical palaces, mosques, museums and souks. The Koutoubia Mosque and The Ali Ben Youssef Madrasa are great examples of the architectural gems of this area. The souks feel like a maze throughout the Medina, chaotic, yet immersive. The colors, the scents and the details of these places would only remind you of the beauty of Morocco.
However, if you would like to disconnect from the crowd of the magical city, you can book yourself a ticket to The Majorelle Gardens. A magical landscape made out of metal blue and yellow buildings and enclosed by all kinds of plants.
Your stay in Marrakech wouldn’t be complete if you don’t go for a food-tour inside the city. The Moroccan gastronomy is undeniably exquisite and whether you opt for a local traditional restaurant, or prefer a fine dining experience, you will undoubtedly fall in love with the details of every dish, and the taste of the Moroccan mint tea will linger in your memory even after you have left the city.
Vibrant day and night, the city promises to take you from its traditional warm hammams to its fantasia shows, and back to exceptional outdoor experiences. With a local population that speak multiple languages easily and a public transportation that is accessible to everyone, the beauty of Marrakech won’t be just the icing on the cake of your attendance to The Marrakech International Film Festival, but actually the cake itself.
