Danish film wins Moroccan honour

The 11th edition of the International Film Festival of Marrakech, which took place in the Moroccan Ochre City from December 2-10, finally wrapped up Saturday night. Danish film “Out of Bounds” by director Frederikke Aspöck was awarded the festival’s Golden Star, whereas the judging panel’s award for best director was given to Italian directors Gianluca and Massimiliano De Serio, for their film “Seven Acts of Mercy”. The critics' award was given to the Australian film “Snowtown” by director Justin Kurzel. Best male actor was awarded to Australian actor Daniel Henshall, for his role in the same feature, where as the best female actor award was awarded to American actress Jocelyn Benson for her role in “Without”, directed by Mark Jackson. Awards this year were given out in a grand ceremony held in Conference Palace, attended by several international stars and filmmakers and prominent cultural and media figures. The award winning film “Out of Bounds” tells of Stella and her husband Oscar, who are visiting her father, Nathan, in a deserted island where he lives, accompanied by his Labrador dog. Stella is overwhelmed with happiness in anticipation of her newborn’s arrival. Meanwhile, questions start to arise about Oscar, who gets confused about his relationship with his hard-to-handle and provocative father-in-law, and his relationship with his daughter, until the conflict between the two becomes inevitable. The judging panel for long narrative films, headed by Kusturica, included Australian actress Toni Collette, Iranian Actress Leila Hatami, French director and actress Nicole Garcia, American actor Kevin Kline, Moroccan director Abdel-Qadir Laqta’, director  Berinti Ma Mendoza from the Philippines, director and scenarist Rado Mihayleno from Romania, Italian actress Maya Sansa, and director Aparna Sen from India.