Nadia Farès - Actress - Born December 20, 1973
Nadia Farès made her breakthrough in the 1994 film “Elles n’oublient jamais.” She didn't live long in Marrakech, as her family moved to Nice shortly after her birth. At 18, she relocated to Paris and attended numerous auditions until she found success with Christopher Franck’s feature film. She later worked with directors like Alexandre Arcady, Claude Lelouch, and Mathieu Kassovitz. Although she’s been less visible on the big screen for the past five years, Nadia Farès is making a comeback this year in a biopic dedicated to Dalida.
Just Fontaine - Footballer - Born August 18, 1933
Known for being the top scorer in any single World Cup final phase, with thirteen goals in 1958, Just Fontaine, or “Justo,” grew up in Marrakech before finishing his studies at Lycée Lyautey in Casablanca. He started his professional football career with US Marocaine de Casablanca in 1950, and after three years, moved to Nice, then Reims. An early career-ending leg injury forced him to retire, after which he became a coach and led the Moroccan national team to a third-place finish in the 1980 African Cup of Nations. Before being considered one of France's greatest footballers, Justo kicked his first balls in Marrakech churchyard: “I had a wonderful childhood in Marrakech. We used to play football in the churchyard with my friends. The goals were marked by two eucalyptus trees, and we often broke the stained glass windows.”
Élisabeth Guigou - Politician - Born August 6, 1946
Currently a deputy in Seine Saint-Denis, Élisabeth Guigou, a member of the Socialist Party, has held numerous ministerial positions, including three years as Minister of Justice under the government of Lionel Jospin. Her parents got married in Marrakech in 1943, and three years later, little Élisabeth was born: “I was born at noon, with temperatures reaching 50°C in the shade, hence my taste for warmth. I lived in Marrakech until I finished high school (attending Lycée Victor Hugo). I have retained a deep love for this city, which was very calm, pollution-free, devoid of jet-setters or ostentatious wealth, yet uniquely beautiful at the time.”
Giacomo de Pass - Artist - Born November 10, 1938
After spending his childhood and adolescence in Marrakech, Giacomo de Pass began studying at the Fine Arts School in Casablanca in 1954. After an initially successful group exhibition, he moved to study at academies in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, and the Fine Arts schools of Venice and Milan. He quickly became a regular participant in exhibitions alongside notable artists like Braque, Chagall, and Miró. He never forgot his roots, however, displaying his art in Marrakech and other Moroccan cities like Casablanca, Rabat, and Agadir.
Éric Besson - Politician - Born April 2, 1958
Éric Besson, former Minister of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Solidarity Development under the government of François Fillon from January 2009 to December 2010, moved to France at the age of 17 after living in Marrakech and completing his baccalaureate in Casablanca. Joining the Socialist Party in 1993, he switched allegiance to Nicolas Sarkozy during the 2007 campaign. Today, he runs his own consulting firm, Éric Besson Consulting.