What is the Marrakech International Film Festival and when does it take place?

The Marrakech International Film Festival is where the Red City puts on its evening wear. Founded in 2001 under royal patronage, it has grown into a respected stop on the international circuit — the kind of festival where you might see a Hollywood icon being honoured one night and a debut feature from a young Moroccan or African director the next.

It runs in late November or early December, when Marrakech’s heat has softened into crisp, sunny days and cool evenings — lovely festival weather. The hub is the Palais des Congrès and grand hotels, but the part I love most is free: nightly open-air screenings on the legendary Jemaa el-Fna square, where locals and travellers sit together under the stars watching classics and crowd-pleasers on a giant screen.

Expect a more polished, cinephile atmosphere than the music festivals, with tributes, masterclasses and panels alongside the competition films. The medina hums with a slightly starry energy, and the rooftop bars and riads are at their most festive. It is a wonderful time to be in Marrakech if you enjoy film and people-watching.

Worth planning around? For film lovers, yes — and even casual visitors benefit, because the public square screenings and the buzzy late-autumn weather make for a special Marrakech stay. Book early, as the city’s best riads fill up, and check the year’s dates since they move a little.