American filmmaker Jeff Nichols was designated the mentor of the 7th Atlas Workshops from December 1-5 during the International Marrakech Film Festival (FIFM).
Renowned for his contributions to contemporary cinema, Nichols is “enthusiastic about participating in the festival and supporting emerging filmmakers.”
“It is an honor to serve as this year’s mentor. I look forward to sharing ideas and learning from other filmmakers,” Nichols said. “I always find these exchanges inspiring, and I hope my involvement will help them bring their films to life.”
At the Atlas Workshops, the director will lead sessions with filmmakers working on projects in development and post-production within a group called “The Jeff Nichols Class”.
He first gained recognition with his 2011 film “Take Shelter,” which won the Grand Prize at Cannes’ Critics’ Week. He has produced six films exploring American stories across a range of genres.
He began his career with the 2007 release of Shotgun Stories, a revenge drama presented at the Berlin International Film Festival and nominated for the John Cassavetes Award. His second film, “Take Shelter,” a psychological thriller featuring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain, received five nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards.
He subsequently directed “Mud” in 2012, with Matthew McConaughey in the lead role. It achieved significant success in the independent cinema sector and was awarded the Robert Altman Award.
In 2016, Nichols produced two major releases namely the science fiction thriller “Midnight Special” and the romantic drama “Loving,” for which actor Ruth Negga received an Academy Award nomination.
His latest film, “The Bikeriders,” featuring Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Tom Hardy, had its premiere in June 2024.
A graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, Nichols co-founded the Arkansas Cinema Society in 2017 and is currently its chairman.