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MAD Solutions Features 7 Films and Offers Two Awards At The 2022 Cairo International Film Festival
19 October 2022
MAD Solutions is set to feature 7 films from its distribution slate at the 2022 Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), which is scheduled to be held from November 13 to 22, including three features, three shorts, and one project. Firas Khoury's ALAM, a participant in Cairo Film Connection’s 8th edition and starring Saleh Bakri, will land its Arab World premiere in the festival’s International Competition, fresh off its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival. Rounding off MAD Solutions’ features at CIFF are Roschdy Zem's OUR TIES and Rachid Hami’s FOR MY COUNTRY will both land their Arab World premiere in the festival’s International Panorama section, following their recent selections at Venice Film Festival.
MAD will have three short films competing in the festival's Official Competition, including Mohamed Fawi’s BUZZ, produced by award-winning You Will Die At Twenty director Amjad Abu Alala and Ward Kayyal’s HAMZA: CHASING THE GHOST CHASING ME will both land their world premiere, while Nejib Kthiri’s TRINOU will have its Arab world premiere at the festival. Also, Amjad Al-Rasheed’s film project INSHALLAH A BOY, winner of 4 awards at the Final Cut in Venice workshop, will be featured at Cairo Film Connection (CFC) 9th edition as part of Cairo Industry Days.
MAD Solutions will offer a film an award for distribution and marketing in the Arab world with a minimum guarantee of $50,000 USD.
Cairo International Film Festival is one of the oldest and most celebrated festivals in the Arab world and Africa. It is the only festival in the Arab and African region to be accorded category “A” status by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations in Paris (FIAPF).
Learn more about MAD films at Cairo International Film Festival:
About ALAM:
Written and directed by Firas Khoury, and starring Mahmood Bakri, Sereen Khass, Saleh Bakri, Mohammad Karaki, Ahmad Zaghmouri, and Muhammad Abed Elrahman, ALAM follows the storyline of Tamer who is a Palestinian living in Israel. He and his friends lead a typical high school student’s life until the arrival of the beautiful Maysaa. To please her, Tamer agrees to take part in a mysterious flag operation on the eve of Israel's Independence Day, which is a mourning day for Palestinians. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution across the Arab world.
About OUR TIES:
Landing its world premiere at the 2022 official competition of Venice International Film Festival, where it competed for Golden Lion Grand Prix, OUR TIES, directed by Roschdy Zem, who co-wrote the script with Maïwenn, includes high-wattage award-winning actors, including César award winner for Best Actor Sami Bouajila and the French actress Maïwenn who won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and nominee for several César Awards.
OUR TIES follows Moussa who has always been kind, selfless, and there for his family. Unlike his brother Ryad, a high-profile TV presenter who is widely criticized for his egocentricity by those around him. His only defender is Moussa, who is a great admirer of his brother. Then an accidental fall left Moussa with serious brain trauma. Now he talks without any filter, telling brutal truth to friends and family alike, and ends up resented by all – except Ryad. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution across the Arab world.
About FOR MY COUNTRY:
Rachid Hami, director of FOR MY COUNTRY, is an Algerian filmmaker and actor with well-known titles under his belt such as Choisir d’aimer (2008) and La Melodie (2017). Hami’s FOR MY COUNTRY was nominated for the Venice Orizzonti award for Best Film.
FOR MY COUNTRY, co-written by Ollivier Pourriol, stars a group of award-winning actors including Lubna Azabal, Hugo Becker, and Shaïn Boumedine. The film follows the story of Aissa, a young officer of Algerian origin who tragically loses his life during a freshman initiation ritual at the prestigious French military academy of Saint-Cyr. As the death tears through Aissa’s family, controversy arises over his funeral plans when the Army refuses to take responsibility. Ismael, his older, rebellious brother, tries to keep the family united as they fight to win justice for Aissa. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution in the Arab world.
About BUZZ:
From the producer of You Will Die At Twenty and award-winning director Amjad Abu Alala, BUZZ, directed by Mohamed Fawi who also co-wrote the script with Ahmed Shaweesh, and Noura Adil, stars Jasour Abuelgasim, Zahra Mansour, and Ali Abdalgafar. The film follows the story of a sick mother who watches her son and daughter go through her tragedy and their new reality, while her situation is deteriorating. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution in the Arab world.
About HAMZA: CHASING THE GHOST CHASING ME:
Directed by Ward Kayyal and written by Majd Kayyal, HAMZA: CHASING THE GHOST CHASING ME stars Kamel Al Basha, Ruba Blal, Motaz Malhes, and Khulood Basel. The film follows Hamza, a middle-aged man, who refuses to abandon a routine he has kept since his release from Israeli jail, he goes into the woods every day to chase the lion that the locals don't think exists. Despite his wife's pleadings and the villagers' contempt, Hamza sits his baits and traps in the forest, hoping to defeat the mysterious threat. He finds refuge in his journey after each battle. In the woods, Hamza is free to act according to his beliefs, fighting his own battle to heal an open wound and confront horrific memories of torture and guilt. MAD Solutions manages the film’s marketing and distribution worldwide.
About TRINOU:
Written and directed by Nejib Kthiri and Mohamed Grayaa, Max Pemberton, and Kaouther Dhaouedi, TRINOU follows a young boy who escapes his failing body and isolated life by traveling in his dreams, which he creates from magazines provided by his mother. When his stepfather encourages his wife to care less than she does, both mother and son make a significant and life-changing decision. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution in the Arab world.
About INSHALLAH A BOY
Directed by Amjad Al-Rasheed who co-wrote the film with Delphine Augte and Rula Nasser, INSHALLAH A BOY follows Nawal who suddenly loses her husband and finds herself facing society and its laws. However, things turn upside down when she gives birth to a boy.
INSHALLAH A BOY received a grant from the Red Sea Fund during the inaugural edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival. Furthermore, the project received production and post-production support from the Royal Film Commission in two cycles, in addition to production support from the Doha Film Institute.
The film was produced by Imaginarium Films (Rula Nasser and Aseel Abu Ayyash) in collaboration with Bayt Al Shawareb (Theeb, The Alleys), while MAD Solutions and Lagoonie Film Production are in charge of its distribution throughout the Arab world.
MAD will have three short films competing in the festival's Official Competition, including Mohamed Fawi’s BUZZ, produced by award-winning You Will Die At Twenty director Amjad Abu Alala and Ward Kayyal’s HAMZA: CHASING THE GHOST CHASING ME will both land their world premiere, while Nejib Kthiri’s TRINOU will have its Arab world premiere at the festival. Also, Amjad Al-Rasheed’s film project INSHALLAH A BOY, winner of 4 awards at the Final Cut in Venice workshop, will be featured at Cairo Film Connection (CFC) 9th edition as part of Cairo Industry Days.
MAD Solutions will offer a film an award for distribution and marketing in the Arab world with a minimum guarantee of $50,000 USD.
Cairo International Film Festival is one of the oldest and most celebrated festivals in the Arab world and Africa. It is the only festival in the Arab and African region to be accorded category “A” status by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations in Paris (FIAPF).
Learn more about MAD films at Cairo International Film Festival:
About ALAM:
Written and directed by Firas Khoury, and starring Mahmood Bakri, Sereen Khass, Saleh Bakri, Mohammad Karaki, Ahmad Zaghmouri, and Muhammad Abed Elrahman, ALAM follows the storyline of Tamer who is a Palestinian living in Israel. He and his friends lead a typical high school student’s life until the arrival of the beautiful Maysaa. To please her, Tamer agrees to take part in a mysterious flag operation on the eve of Israel's Independence Day, which is a mourning day for Palestinians. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution across the Arab world.
About OUR TIES:
Landing its world premiere at the 2022 official competition of Venice International Film Festival, where it competed for Golden Lion Grand Prix, OUR TIES, directed by Roschdy Zem, who co-wrote the script with Maïwenn, includes high-wattage award-winning actors, including César award winner for Best Actor Sami Bouajila and the French actress Maïwenn who won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and nominee for several César Awards.
OUR TIES follows Moussa who has always been kind, selfless, and there for his family. Unlike his brother Ryad, a high-profile TV presenter who is widely criticized for his egocentricity by those around him. His only defender is Moussa, who is a great admirer of his brother. Then an accidental fall left Moussa with serious brain trauma. Now he talks without any filter, telling brutal truth to friends and family alike, and ends up resented by all – except Ryad. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution across the Arab world.
About FOR MY COUNTRY:
Rachid Hami, director of FOR MY COUNTRY, is an Algerian filmmaker and actor with well-known titles under his belt such as Choisir d’aimer (2008) and La Melodie (2017). Hami’s FOR MY COUNTRY was nominated for the Venice Orizzonti award for Best Film.
FOR MY COUNTRY, co-written by Ollivier Pourriol, stars a group of award-winning actors including Lubna Azabal, Hugo Becker, and Shaïn Boumedine. The film follows the story of Aissa, a young officer of Algerian origin who tragically loses his life during a freshman initiation ritual at the prestigious French military academy of Saint-Cyr. As the death tears through Aissa’s family, controversy arises over his funeral plans when the Army refuses to take responsibility. Ismael, his older, rebellious brother, tries to keep the family united as they fight to win justice for Aissa. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution in the Arab world.
About BUZZ:
From the producer of You Will Die At Twenty and award-winning director Amjad Abu Alala, BUZZ, directed by Mohamed Fawi who also co-wrote the script with Ahmed Shaweesh, and Noura Adil, stars Jasour Abuelgasim, Zahra Mansour, and Ali Abdalgafar. The film follows the story of a sick mother who watches her son and daughter go through her tragedy and their new reality, while her situation is deteriorating. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution in the Arab world.
About HAMZA: CHASING THE GHOST CHASING ME:
Directed by Ward Kayyal and written by Majd Kayyal, HAMZA: CHASING THE GHOST CHASING ME stars Kamel Al Basha, Ruba Blal, Motaz Malhes, and Khulood Basel. The film follows Hamza, a middle-aged man, who refuses to abandon a routine he has kept since his release from Israeli jail, he goes into the woods every day to chase the lion that the locals don't think exists. Despite his wife's pleadings and the villagers' contempt, Hamza sits his baits and traps in the forest, hoping to defeat the mysterious threat. He finds refuge in his journey after each battle. In the woods, Hamza is free to act according to his beliefs, fighting his own battle to heal an open wound and confront horrific memories of torture and guilt. MAD Solutions manages the film’s marketing and distribution worldwide.
About TRINOU:
Written and directed by Nejib Kthiri and Mohamed Grayaa, Max Pemberton, and Kaouther Dhaouedi, TRINOU follows a young boy who escapes his failing body and isolated life by traveling in his dreams, which he creates from magazines provided by his mother. When his stepfather encourages his wife to care less than she does, both mother and son make a significant and life-changing decision. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution in the Arab world.
About INSHALLAH A BOY
Directed by Amjad Al-Rasheed who co-wrote the film with Delphine Augte and Rula Nasser, INSHALLAH A BOY follows Nawal who suddenly loses her husband and finds herself facing society and its laws. However, things turn upside down when she gives birth to a boy.
INSHALLAH A BOY received a grant from the Red Sea Fund during the inaugural edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival. Furthermore, the project received production and post-production support from the Royal Film Commission in two cycles, in addition to production support from the Doha Film Institute.
The film was produced by Imaginarium Films (Rula Nasser and Aseel Abu Ayyash) in collaboration with Bayt Al Shawareb (Theeb, The Alleys), while MAD Solutions and Lagoonie Film Production are in charge of its distribution throughout the Arab world.
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