Morocco could have a strong presence at the upcoming 79th Cannes Film Festival, with Laïla Marrakchi’s new film, Strawberries (La Más Dulce), being considered for inclusion in the official selection.
The drama, currently in post-production, centers on a group of Moroccan women who travel to Andalusia, Spain, seeking work as strawberry pickers. They are promised fair wages and a better future for their families, but instead encounter harsh conditions and abuse. The film depicts their struggle for justice and the strong bond they form as they navigate these challenges.
Strawberries is inspired by real-life reports of exploitation faced by Moroccan women in Spain’s agricultural industry. Nisrin Erradi, known for her role in Nabil Ayouch’s Everybody Loves Touda, stars alongside Hind Braik, Fatima Attif, Larbi Mohammed, and Spain’s Itsaso Arana. The film recently won the 2025 Marrakech Atlas Workshops’ Work In Progress post-production prize, signaling its early recognition within the industry. Details about the film and director are available on the Atlas Ateliers website.
The film is a co-production between French outfit Lumen, Morocco’s Mont Fleuri Production, Spain’s Fasten Films, and Belgium’s Mirage Films. Lucky Number, the French sales company, will launch the film at the European Film Market next month. Olivier Barbier, Ola Byszuk and Lenny Porte of Lucky Number were drawn to the film by “Laïla Marrakchi’s ability to confront the most scandalous and unacceptable practices of an agricultural sector that we, as a society, tacitly endorse by consuming the fruits of these women’s labour.” They similarly praised Marrakchi’s ability to maintain “a unique tone that preserves the joy, vitality, and sorority that sustains these women.”
The potential inclusion of Strawberries at Cannes underscores the festival’s commitment to showcasing diverse and socially relevant cinema. The 79th Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to run from May 12 to May 23, 2026, with the official selection line-up expected to be announced on April 9, 2026. More information about the festival can be found on its official website. Park Chan-wook will serve as jury president for the main competition, and Honorary Palme d’Ors will be awarded to Peter Jackson and Barbra Streisand.
