Marion Cotillard to Lead Marrakech Festival Jury

Marion Cotillard will preside over the competition jury at the 23rd Marrakech International Film Festival, putting the Oscar-winning French actor in charge of selecting this year’s Étoile d’Or winner.

The festival will run from November 20 through November 28, 2026. Cotillard and the yet-to-be-announced members of her jury will evaluate the first and second features competing for the event’s top prize.

A familiar guest takes the chair

Cotillard has attended the Marrakech festival since its early years, giving the appointment a personal connection beyond her international profile. In a statement released with the announcement, she emphasized the importance of supporting filmmakers at the beginning of their careers and described chairing the jury as a joy.

The role places her at the center of a competition built around emerging directors. Rather than judging an established-awards showcase dominated by familiar names, the jury will help determine which new filmmaker receives one of Marrakech’s most visible endorsements.

Cotillard’s career spans French and Hollywood cinema. Her performance as Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose earned her the Academy Award for best actress, making her the first performer to win an acting Oscar for a French-language role. She later received another best-actress nomination for Two Days, One Night.

From major productions to new filmmakers

Her filmography includes Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Rust and Bone, The Immigrant and Annette. More recently, she appeared in Lee and joined The Morning Show, while continuing to work in French productions.

That mix of mainstream visibility and auteur collaborations makes Cotillard a notable fit for a festival that brings international attention to early-career filmmakers. The remaining jurors have not yet been disclosed, and the competition lineup will ultimately define the range of work they are asked to assess.

For now, the announcement establishes a prominent face for the November edition and underlines the festival’s focus on debut and sophomore features. The Étoile d’Or decision will be revealed during the event in Marrakech.