Palestinian ‘Happy Holidays’ movie wins Marrakech International Film Festival’s top prize

The 21st annual Marrakech International Film Festival concluded this weekend with the awarding of the festival’s main prizes, with the Golden Star, being awarded to “Happy Holidays” movie by Palestinian director Scandar Copti. The 123-minute feature film examines the tension between emancipation and conservatism within the 1948 Palestinian society, reflecting a deep sense of belief that societal progress is intrinsically linked to the empowerment of women. Polish Damian Kocur won the Best Director award for his “Under the Volcano” movie.