The arid plains would possibly perchance quickly give procedure to one thing distinguished more verdant for “Sirat” director Oliver Laxe, who’s having a stumble on to the rainforest for inspiration.

“I’m very drawn to the Amazon,” he tells Vary, pointing to “the ceremonies, the soul of the location, its rituals and its medicines” as aspects he hopes to explore next. But sooner than he begins writing, Laxe would possibly perchance non-public to pack his baggage. “I non-public to abilities it,” he explains. “I don’t turn reality into film from a distance; it has to be lived. It has to be felt.”

For now, he’ll non-public to wait on, as he’s currently deep into an awards marketing campaign that has taken him your entire procedure to the Marrakech Movie Festival. Easy, Laxe’s short stop in Marrakech feels admire one thing of a homecoming for a filmmaker who lived in Morocco for more than a decade, who launched his career out of Tangier, and who wrote his Cannes-winning “Sirat” — Spain’s submission for the worldwide characteristic Oscar — with the Atlas Mountains, the Ziz Valley and the oasis of Erfoud in tips.

“I’m very drawn to that panorama as well,” he says. “It’s a tectonic panorama from the formation of the planet, a panorama that locations you to your home. You is almost definitely feeling runt nevertheless major at the same time.”

And yet, as someone mindful of the harrowing, existential “Sirat” would possibly perchance question, Laxe prefers to prevent rooted within the original — which, for the time being, capability seeing his promotional-turned-awards marketing campaign by to the stop.

The run has been long. Since Cannes, Laxe has spent all nevertheless two weeks on the avenue, and the stress is initiating to display.

“The stage of intense reference to the viewers provides me peace,” he says. “It tells me, ‘Ok, you’re on the lawful course.’ But sure, I’m tired. And sure, I don’t non-public any time for meditation. The outdated day, I become with [‘The Secret Agent’ director] Kleber Mendonça Filho [selected by Brazil as its Oscar candidate], and we had been announcing that we’re initiating to lose objects. You leave the resort pondering you checked all the pieces, and you note your computer is soundless on the table.

“I’ve misplaced garments, jackets,” Laxe provides. “We’re initiating to lose issues and it’s simplest December. I don’t know the procedure a long way I’ll create it, nevertheless Kleber will certainly creep unless March.”

Does Laxe hope to affix his newfound friend at the Oscar ceremony on March 15?

“Inshallah,” he grins.