Robert De Niro Set for Marrakech Film Festival Honor

The Marrakech Film Festival will be honoring Robert De Niro this year. 

Organizers made the announcement about the Oscar-winning actor Monday.

“Although I have been to Marrakech on several occasions, I feel I am now seeing a side of Marrakech I have always wanted to see. I am most grateful for this invitation, and am looking forward to being a part of a great festival,” De Niro said.

De NIro’s ninth collaboration with director Martin Scorsese will be Netflix’s The Irishman, set for release next year. He’s currently shooting The Joker with Joaquin Phoenix.

The Oscar winner is the first major honoree to be announced this year. The festival, which has long boasted high-profile juries and stars, will be relaunching later this year after taking a pause in 2017 for a reorganization amid a reported lack of sponsorship.

It hired former Berlin Film Festival Forum section head Christoph Terhechte as artistic director earlier this year.

This year’s jury will be headed by director James Gray, following in the footsteps of Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese. Former jurors have included Marion Cotillard and Patricia Clarkson.

Marrakech has a history of attracting A-list talent as its honorees, including Jeremy Irons, Bill Murray, and Viggo Mortensen.

This year’s Marrakech Film Festival will take place Nov. 30-Dec. 8 in Morocco.