The Tetouan Mediterranean Film Festival (FCMT) has announced the members of its juries and the six figures from Mediterranean cinema who will be honored during its 31st edition, scheduled to run from October 3 to 10.
The official jury will be chaired by Spanish actress Monica López and will include France’s Virginie Mathieu, Italy’s Rossella Inglese, Morocco’s Abdelhay Iraki and Cyprus’ Michael Hapeshis, according to a statement from the festival.
López, who will head the jury for the official competition of fiction and documentary feature films, has enjoyed a career spanning more than three decades across theater, cinema and television. She has worked with renowned directors including Cesc Gay and Rodrigo Sorogoyen. In 2024, her performance in the series Rapa earned her the Ondas Award for Best Female Performer in a Fiction Production.
The jury will assess the 10 films competing in the official section. It also includes French producer Virginie Mathieu, who has worked in television and format development; Italian director, screenwriter and editor Rossella Inglese; Moroccan director and screenwriter Abdelhay Iraki, whose filmography spans cinema and television; and Cypriot director, screenwriter and producer Michael Hapeshis.
The Mustapha Mesnaoui Critics’ Jury will bring together three perspectives from film journalism and criticism in Morocco, Italy and Spain. It will consist of Italian film critic and journalist Alessandra De Luca, who also teaches film criticism; Moroccan critic, teacher, writer and screenwriter Said El Mezouari; and Spanish writer and journalist Maria Iglesias Real, who has worked with numerous media outlets and received the Communication Award from the Seville Press Association.
The festival will also honor six prominent figures from Mediterranean cinema whose diverse careers have contributed to the region’s film and audiovisual landscape.
Among them is Moroccan director, screenwriter and writer Hicham Lasri, known for works including The End, C’est eux les chiens, The Sea Is Behind and Headbang Lullaby. His films have been featured at several international festivals, including Cannes, Berlin and Toronto.
Syrian actress Sulafa Memar, who has worked in cinema, theater and television, will also be honored. A prominent figure in fiction in her country, she won the FCMT Best Actress Award in 2007 for her role in Under the Ceiling.
Italian director, screenwriter and writer Roberto Andò, known for films including Viva la libertà, Le confessioni and La stranezza, will also receive an honorary tribute. He has won two David di Donatello awards for his screenwriting, along with several other distinctions.
The festival will also pay tribute to Cypriot actress Popi Avraam, whose career has focused mainly on theater, alongside appearances in film and television. Her credits include Dinner with My Sisters and Pause.
Egyptian actress Hanan Motawie will also be honored. Active in cinema, theater and television since the early 2000s, she rose to prominence with the series Hadith Al Sabah Wal Masa and has appeared in films including Qas wa Lazq, The Forest and Heliopolis. She has also received several awards for her performances.
Spanish actress Marina Salas is the sixth honoree. She is known for her roles in Tres metros sobre el cielo and The Pelayos, as well as the series El Barco and Hache. She continues to work across cinema, television and theater.
Festival organizers said this year’s edition comes at a significant time for Tetouan, whose Mediterranean profile has grown after the city was designated, alongside the Italian city of Matera, Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue for 2026.
The distinction goes beyond its symbolic and festive dimension, they said, reflecting Tetouan’s long-standing role as a place of encounter, exchange and openness. The city’s identity has developed at the crossroads of different civilizations and cultures.
Over eight days, Mediterranean cinema will take center stage through a program featuring the official competition, audience favorites, tributes, professional meetings, debates and workshops, the organizers added.
Founded in 1985 by the Amis du Cinéma de Tétouan association, the Tetouan Mediterranean Film Festival has spent more than three decades promoting the distribution, discovery and recognition of Mediterranean cinema while maintaining close ties with the city’s cultural life.
