During this evening, graced by the presence of major figures from the world of cinema and personalities from the realms of art, culture, and media, Faouzi Bensaïdi received the Étoile d'Or from his wife, actress Nezha Rahil.

This tribute aims to acknowledge the exemplary career both in front of and behind the camera that Faouzi Bensaïdi has pursued for nearly 25 years. A prominent figure in Moroccan cinema, he is one of its most distinguished representatives internationally, with his films regularly selected at major festivals around the world.

Speaking on this occasion, Faouzi Bensaïdi expressed his heartfelt thanks to HM King Mohammed VI for the immense support of the Sovereign for cinema in general and Moroccan cinema in particular, as well as to HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, President of the Foundation of the International Film Festival of Marrakech, and the organizers of this high-quality cinematic event.

The filmmaker, surrounded on stage by a plethora of actors with whom he has collaborated throughout his career, namely Nadia Kounda, Mohcine Malzi, Abdelhadi Taleb, Fehd Benchemsi, Hajar Graigaa, and Rabii Benjhaile, also extended his thanks to the artists who accompanied him in various stages of his journey, as well as to the technicians and members of his family.

"I only made my first short film at the age of 30, and for me, it was a second birth, as important as the one recorded on my official documents. So, by a simple calculation, my age in cinema is 25 years," he said.

The Moroccan director also discussed the early stages of his career, emphasizing that "all my films are first films because cinema does not film certainties but doubt, the flaw, the accident, and weakness."

For his part, Moroccan actor Rabii Benjhaile asserted, on behalf of all the artists present on stage, that "we stand before you in an exceptional moment of recognition and gratitude towards a man and an artist with whom we have shared the love of theater and the passion for cinema."

"Faouzi Bensaïdi is a brilliant director who has enchanted us with cinematic shots where image and sound intertwine with beauty and depth, thus engraving his name in golden letters among the greats," he continued.

This tribute evening also featured the screening of Faouzi Bensaïdi's film Déserts and a video reviewing the most significant films of the filmmaker's career.

In 1998, Faouzi Bensaïdi directed his first short film The Cliff. He then co-wrote Loin (Far) with André Téchiné. In 2000, he directed two short films, namely Le Mur, awarded at the Directors' Fortnight at Cannes, and Trajets, awarded at the Venice Film Festival.

The filmmaker's first feature film A Thousand Months received several international awards. Subsequently, this native of Meknes directed What a Wonderful World, selected at the Venice Film Festival, as well as Death for Sale (2011), which won the Art and Essay Prize at the Berlinale.

In 2022, he directed Jours d'Été, a contemporary adaptation in Morocco of Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. His latest film Déserts is part of the 2023 selection at the Directors' Fortnight.

During the opening ceremony of its 20th edition, the International Film Festival of Marrakech also paid tribute to the famous Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen.