Communist-era love story cinches top Moroccan film award

MARRAKESH—A love story set in bleak communist-era East Germany scooped the top Gold Star award at the sixth Marrakesh International Film Festival studded with international luminaries. “Der Rote Kakadu” or “The Red Cockatoo”, by German film director Dominique Graf, trumped 15 other films vying for the best-film award in the sun-washed Moroccan city.
“We wanted to reward a movie that was true and recalled a painful period for many nations,” said jury president and noted movie director Roman Polanski, who bestowed the top prize. Tracing an affair in 1961 Dresden between a theatre scenery painter and a poet, “The Red Cockatoo” also handed German actor Max Riemelt best actor award.
The drama was among a total of 120 movies screened over nine days in Marrakesh. The 15 in competition hailed from countries as diverse as Italy, Iran, Thailand, Malaysia and the United States. Another eastern European movie — Romania’s “Hirtia va fi Albastra,” or “The Paper Will be Blue” by Radu Muntean — earned the jury’s top pick for most original film direction.
A smattering of other stars, including American actress Susan Sarandon and Egyptian film director Tawfik Saleh were also honoured for their achievements.—Agencies