Moroccan filmmaker and screenwriter Yasmine Benkiran has been selected to serve on the jury for International Critics’ Week (ICW) at the Venice International Film Festival, scheduled to take place from August 28 to September 7, Morocco’s News Agency (MAP) reported.
ICW is an independent section of the Venice Film Festival, organized by the Italian National Union of Film Critics (SNCCI). The program features a selection of seven first-time feature films competing for awards, along with two out-of-competition events.
Benkiran told MAP she is honored and excited to serve on the jury at the world’s longest-standing and most prestigious cinema festival.
Benkiran’s first film, “Reines,” had its world premiere at the festival, where she said it was “received favorably.”
A regular Venice festival goer, she described the screening as “an exciting, challenging, and moving experience.”
“The festival holds a special significance for me, and I am honored to return this year as a member of the Critics’ Week jury,” Benkiran asserted.
A native of Rabat, the Moroccan film director studied in Paris, where she specialized in philosophy, communication, and cinema. Before transitioning to filmmaking, she had already authored several books and numerous screenplays.
“Reines” has been featured at over 50 international film festivals and has received multiple awards.