Marion Cotillard to Lead Marrakech Festival Jury
Marion Cotillard will preside over the competition jury at the 23rd Marrakech International Film Festival in November, organisers have announced.
The Oscar-winning French actor will lead the jury that decides the festival's top prize, according to Variety. The appointment puts a familiar screen face at the head of one of the autumn's best-known festival juries.
The festival will run from November 20 to 28, 2026, Deadline reported. That nine-day stretch in Marrakech closes out the major festival calendar for the year. The 2026 dates were confirmed alongside the jury announcement.
As jury president, Cotillard will chair deliberations for the international competition. The jury awards the Étoile d'Or, or Golden Star, to a film in that competition, according to Variety. It is the festival's main prize.
The competition itself is reserved for first and second features, meaning films by directors early in their careers, Variety reported. That focus gives new film-makers a prominent platform alongside more established titles elsewhere in the programme. Full jury membership and the competition line-up are still to be announced.
The naming of Cotillard was set out in a festival press release dated October 13, 2026 in Rabat. Cotillard is described in festival materials as an Academy Award-winning French actor.
What makes this stand out for viewers is the brief. A jury led by an actor, judging only debut and sophomore films, tends to put performance and directing choices centre stage. For fans following awards season, Marrakech often offers an early look at names that return in later programmes.
