Marrakech has already welcomed stars such as Tilda Swinton and Naomi Watts this week for its annual film festival, but yesterday the city got even more star-studded.
Hollywood legend Harvey Keitel walked the red carpet at the Marrakech International Film Festival on Sunday, December 1 to attend a tribute to French filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier.
The Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs actor, who was coaxed out of retirement to star in Martin Scorsese's 2019 drama The Irishman, presented Tavernier with the Etoile d'Or award during the ceremony, to honour the director's body of work.
Scroll through the gallery above to see red carpet images from the Bertrand Tavernier tribute at the Marrakech International Film Festival 2019.
Tavernier, who is behind films such as 1986's Round Midnight and 1974's The Clockmaker, worked with Keitel on his 1980 sci-fi thriller Death Watch.
The ceremony was also attended by We Need to Talk About Kevin star Swinton, who is presiding over this year's festival jury, as well as French actress Josephine de la Baume.
While accepting his award, Tavernier compared the Moroccan festival to the Lumiere brothers, who pioneered cinematography in the late 19th century.
"They brought the world to the world. That's what a festival like Marrakech does. It opens windows on to the world," he said, according to Variety.
The festival, which runs in Marrakesh until Saturday, December 7, will this year fete the best of Australian cinema, as well as works from the Arab world, and will screen 25 feature films from Down Under during its programme.
Scroll through the gallery below to see the best red carpet photos from the Marrakech Film Festival 2019 opening ceremony.
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Jury president Tilda Swinton attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. Reuters -
Naomi Watts attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP -
Naomi Watts attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. Reuters -
Marion Cotillard attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. EPA -
Italian director Ginevra Elkann attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP -
French director Melita Toscan Du Plantier attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP -
US actress Blanca Blanco attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP -
French actor and former footballer Eric Cantona and his wife Rachida Brakni attend the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP -
French actress Josephine de la Baume attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. EPA -
Naomi Watts, Tilda Swinton and Ali Essafi attend the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP -
French model Nawel Debbouze attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. EPA -
French director Amanda Sthers attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP -
Jury members Ali Essafi, Chiara Mastroianni, Rebecca Zlotowski, Mikael Persbrandt, Atiq Rahimi, Andrea Arnold, Tilda Swinton, David Michod and Kleber Mendonca Filho attend the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP -
Italian actress Sveva Alviti attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP -
French-Moroccan former rugby player Abdelatif Benazzi attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP -
French actress Elodie Bouchez attends the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29, 2019. AFP
Also set to attend this year's Marrakech International Film Festival is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid legend Robert Redford, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Palestinian director Elia Suleiman, who will each take part in on-stage 'In Conversation With' interviews.
Redford will also receive the festival’s Etoile d’Or award in recognition of his life's work, while a tribute will be made to Chopra in the city's Jemaa El Fna Square.
Rian Johnson's Knives Out opened the festival programme, with 98 movies from 34 countries due to be screened across the week. Among those showcasing in the festival's Official Competition is Tlamess by Tunisia's Ala Eddine Slim and Last Visit by Saudi Arabia's Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan.
For more information, visit www.festivalmarrakech
