Gessica Généus's "Marie Madeleine" in competition at the Marrakech International Film Festival

Haitian cinema will be in the running at the 23rd Marrakech International Film Festival in Morocco. Gessica Généus's feature "Marie Madeleine" is among the 14 films in the official competition for the Étoile d'Or, according to the official selection the festival published on November 2, 2026. The festival runs from November 20 to 28, and the competition jury will be chaired by actress Marion Cotillard.

The festival describes "Marie Madeleine" as a poetic work that celebrates freedom through an encounter between a prostitute and an evangelist. The story is set in Jacmel, on Haiti's southern coast. A co-production of France, Haiti, Belgium, Luxembourg and Canada, the film stars Généus herself, Béonard Monteau, Édouard Baptiste and Mélissa Mildort.

Three filmmakers and personal upheavals

In its statement, the festival groups the film with works by women directors from Mexico, South Korea and Haiti that explore the personal upheavals of their female characters. The competition is open to first and second features. In all, the 23rd edition presents 76 films from 39 countries.

It is another step in a strong run for "Marie Madeleine": the film already won the Gold Hugo for best new director at the Chicago International Film Festival in October and has been released in French cinemas.