French filmmaker and novelist François Szabowski brings his artistic vision to Morocco this year with his short film Notifications, competing for the Belarj Prize for Best Director at the Marrakech Short Film Festival.
Born in 1977 and based in Paris, Szabowski is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans literature, theatre, comics, and cinema. A celebrated novelist since his 2011 debut Les majorettes, elles, savent parler d’amour, he has written several works blending irony, paradox, and sharp social commentary, such as L’amour est une maladie ordinaire and États d’urgence. His literary success has earned critical acclaim, prizes, and praise from notable figures like Amélie Nothomb.
In addition to his writing, Szabowski has written for the stage and collaborated on graphic narratives, all while pursuing a passion for filmmaking. His cinematic journey intensified in recent years, with several short films and the feature Des voix, which won Best Director at the International Film Festival of Brittany. Notifications, a ten-minute, single-take short, marks a bold shift in style from his previous works.
In an AI-driven world, Szabowski’s Notifications emerges as a poignant reflection on our imperfections and vulnerability.
Speaking about the project, Szabowski shared with Morocco World News that it marked a personal and artistic turning point. "It’s a film without cuts, without montage—ten minutes of pure human interaction. I wanted to embrace uncertainty, fragility, and the organic energy that only comes from collaboration. In a world where AI replicates technical skills, our humanity, imperfections, and subjectivity are what remain truly ours," he explained.
Visually minimalist yet carefully choreographed, Notifications uses subtle camera movements to peel back the layers of performance, revealing the emotions and unspoken tensions between characters. Szabowski explores the theme of masks and façades, a recurring motif in his novels, examining how people often hide vulnerability behind social roles.
“We’re all playing parts, often not very well," he said. “My aim was to make those masks fall and remind us of our shared fragility.”
The Marrakech Short Film Festival, a highlight of the city’s cultural calendar, celebrates both emerging and established global talents. With its focus on innovative storytelling, it’s an ideal platform for Notifications, a film that challenges both form and theme.
Whether or not Szabowski wins the Belarj Prize, Notifications stands as a testament to his belief that in art and life, our imperfections are what make us most profoundly human.