Two Iranian films, producer Nobakht head to Moroccan festival jury
Two Iranian feature films will compete at the 30th Rabat International Author Film Festival this month, where Iranian producer Elaheh Nobakht has also been named to the event’s seven-member international jury.
The festival runs from November 8 to 15 in the Moroccan capital, IRNA reported.
Nobakht, an experienced film distributor who has served on juries at more than ten global festivals, joins fellow jurors Jean-Claude Barney of France, Dutch filmmaker Marijke De Koning, French-Burkinabe actor-director Maimouna N’Diaye, and Moroccan producer Karim Debbagh.
They will judge the main competition section, dedicated this year to auteur-driven works described by organizers as “bold, thought-provoking and unconventional.”
Competing from Iran are ‘The Last Act’ By Peyman Shahbod and ‘Without Permission’ by Hassan Nazer, a British-Iranian co-production. Nobakht will also help evaluate these entries, alongside international submissions from Europe, Africa and Asia.
Beyond the competition, the festival will screen ‘The Camel and the Miller,’ a trilogy of animated shorts, ‘No substitute,’ ‘The White Winged’, and ‘The Farmer and the Robot,’ by veteran Iranian director Abdollah Alimorad.
Organized by the Centre Cinematographique Marocain (CCM), the Rabat festival has earned a reputation as a key cultural bridge between continents, spotlighting artistic storytelling and emerging cinematic voices. The CCM lists the 2025 edition from November 7 to 16. Calling the event a “genuine celebration of daring auteur filmmaking,” Nobakht said she hopes Iranian cinema will “resonate with global audiences and critics alike.”
Over the past three decades, the Rabat International Author Film Festival has carved out a niche for films that challenge conventions and explore new visual languages, securing its place among North Africa’s most respected cinematic showcases.