Prince Moulay Rachid was greeted by Festival's director, Melita Toscan du Plantier, jury chairman, Iranian director, scriptwriter and producer, Abbas Kiarostami, and other jury members, as well as Moroccan and foreign actors.

    The Festival opening ceremony, held under the patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, was marked by the attendance of an array of prominent people involved in art and culture, and the screening of Florian Gallenberger's movie "John Rabe" (Germany).

    Fifteen films are competing for the golden star (grand prize), the jury prize and the prizes of the best female and male performances. Morocco will be represented by Swel and Imad Noury's "The Man Who Sold the World".