Marrakech Film Festival bestows Palestinian film ‘Happy Holidays’ with top award

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — The Marrakech International Film Festival has bestowed its top prize on “Happy Holidays,” a Palestinian drama set in Israel whose screenplay won an award at the Venice Film Festival in September. It awarded its jury prize Saturday to two additional films from Somalia and Argentina. The winning films each tackled social issues through the lens of family. “Happy Holidays” screenwriter Mona Copti in an acceptance speech said the film team’s joy at winning was tempered by war in the Middle East and denounced what she called the dehumanization of Palestinians.