MAD Solutions — the most prolific film distribution agency in the MENA region — is sending 13 feature and short films from its distribution slate to screen at the fourth Amman International Film Festival - Awal Film (AIFF), which will be running from August 15th to the 22nd. 
 
Our films in the AIFF are as follows:

• Rami Younis and Sarah Ema Friedland’s LYD, which stars Maisaa Abd El-Hadi — who is known for THE ALLEYS and HUDA’S SALON — will screen on August 19th at 8 pm at TAJ Cinema 6, with another screening on August 20th at 9 pm at the Rainbow Theater. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s directors.

 

• Mohamed El-Samman’s Egyptian feature film RAT HOLE — which stars Rana Khattab, Mohamed Yorka, Kamal El-Asnawy, and Hanan Helmy — will screen on August 16th at 8 pm at TAJ Cinema 4 and on August 20th at 10 pm at TAJ Cinema 3. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s director.

 

• Firas Khoury’s Palestinian feature film ALAM — which features Mahmoud Bakri, Sereen Khass, Saleh Bakri, and Mohammad Karaki — will screen on August 16th at 6 pm at the Rainbow Theater and August 17th at 10 pm at TAJ Cinema 4. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s director.

 

• ALAM held its Arab world premiere at the 2022 Cairo International Film Festival, winning three awards, including the Golden Pyramid Award — the festival's top accolade for outstanding films in the international competition — the Best Actor Award for Palestinian actor Mahmood Bakri, and Youssef Cherif Rizkallah's Audience Award.

 

• It also won seven other awards, including the Best Debut Feature Film Award at the 2023 Tetouan Mediterranean Film Festival and the Best Asian Film Award at the 27th International Film Festival of Kerala, where its director Firas Khoury also received the Rajata Chakoram for Best Debut Director. 

 

• Sara Suliman’s Sudanese feature film HEROIC BODIES — which stars Aya Tariq, Yassin Raief, Ahmed Raief, and Aya Ahmed — will screen on August 17th at 9 pm at the Rainbow Theater and on August 18th at 10 pm at TAJ Cinema 3. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s director.

 

• Soudade Kaadan’s Syrian-French feature film NEZOUH — which stars Kinda Alloush, Samer Al-Masri, Hala Zein, Nizar Alani, and Darina Al-Joundi, and is lensed by prominent cinematographer Hélène Louvart — will screen on August 16th at 10 pm at TAJ Cinema 6 and August 18th at 6 pm at the Rainbow Theater. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A with lead actor Samer Al-Masri.

 

• NEZOUH screened at over twenty festivals and events, including The Tetouan Mediterranean Film Festival, British Independent Film Awards, Mostra de València – Cinema Del Mediterrani, and the BFI London Film Festival. It also took home the Amnesty International Award at the MedFilm Festival, in addition to two prizes at the Venice International Film Festival.

 

• Erige Sehiri’s Tunisian-French feature film UNDER THE FIG TREES — which stars Fide Fdhili, Feten Fdhili, Ameni Fdhili, Samar Sifi, and Abdelhak Mrabti — will screen on August 18th at 8 pm at TAJ Cinema 6 and August 22nd at 5:30 pm at the Rainbow Theater.

 

• The film was Tunisia’s official submission to the 95th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film. It also world premiered at the Cannes Film Festival (Directors' Fortnight), where it won the EcoProd Jury Award, and screened at many prestigious film festivals, winning Best Director at the Pingyao International Film Festival and Best Film (Golden Bayard) at the Namur International Festival of French-Speaking Films.

 

• Hend Bakr’s THE TEDIOUS TOUR OF M — a documentary that was written, directed, and produced by Bakr, co-produced by Ahmed Nabil, and lensed by Tamer Nady — will screen on August 16th at 6 pm at TAJ Cinema 3 and August 20th at 10 pm at TAJ Cinema 4. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s director.

 

• Abedalsalam El-Haj’s Jordanian short film ABED — which stars Hisham Alomari, Mohammad Abuagoulah, and Ali Badrana — will screen on August 20th at 6 pm at TAJ Cinema 4 and August 21st at 10 pm at TAJ Cinema 4. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A.

 

• Mohamed Fawi’s Sudanese short, BUZZ. The film’s cast comprises Jasour Abuelgasim, Zahra Mansour, and Ali Abdalgafar and will screen on August 19th at 8 pm at TAJ Cinema 5 and August 21st at 6 pm at TAJ Cinema 4. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A.

 

• After holding its world premiere at the Cairo International Film Festival, BUZZ went on to feature at the Cairo Shorts, Casablanca, Toronto Arab, and New York African film festivals.

 

• Nejib Kthiri’s British-Tunisian short film, TRINOU — which stars Max Pemberton alongside Mohamed Grayaa, Kaouther Dhaouedi, and Eleanor Crowe — will screen on August 20th at 6 pm at TAJ Cinema 4 and August 21st at 10 pm at TAJ Cinema 4. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A.

 

• TRINOU world premiered at the CIFF and was nominated for Best Short Film at the International Documentary and Short Film Festival in Kosovo.

 

• The British-Tunisian short was also featured at the LA Shorts, Show Me Shorts, Cinequest, and Master film festivals, along with Black Box Cinema at the 2023 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Moreover, it was nominated for the Best Student Short Film Award at the British Society of Cinematographers Awards.

 

• Ihsen Kammoun’s Tunsisian-American short film ROAD TO EL KEF — which stars the award-winning Tunisian actor Ahmed Hafiane, Fares Landoulsi, Malek Ben Saad, and Ala Edine Yacoubi — will screen on August 19th at 8 pm at TAJ Cinema 5 and August 21st at 6 pm at TAJ Cinema 4. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A.

 

• The film premiered at the Carthage Film Festival and was nominated for the Grand Prix at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France. It also featured at the Festival Les Nuits Méditerranéennes, Vancouver, Arab, Montecatini, Molodist Kyiv, and Rabat international film festivals.

 

• Ward Kayyal’s Palestinian short drama HAMZA: CHASING THE GHOST CHASING ME — which stars Kamel El-Basha, Ruba Blal, Motaz Malhes, and Khoulod Tannous — will screen on August 20th at 6 pm at TAJ Cinema 4 and August 21st at 10 pm at TAJ Cinema 4. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A.

 

• HAMZA: CHASING THE GHOST CHASING ME competed at the Cairo Shorts, Malmö, Casablanca, and Toronto Arab Film Festivals, and featured in the Clermont-Ferrand, Reel Palestine, San Diego Arab, Cine-Palestine, and Sharm El-Sheikh film festivals.

 

• Murad Abu Eisheh’s Jordanian drama A CALLING. FROM THE DESERT. TO THE SEA. — which stars Yasmine Nawarj, Raean Al-Masri, and Hassan Mutlag Al-Maraiyeh — will screen on August 16th at 8 pm at TAJ Cinema 6 and August 17th at 6 pm at the Rainbow Theater. Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s director.

 

• The film featured at the Imedghassen Film Festival — where it snagged the Best Actress in a Leading Role award — along with the Cleveland, Lille, Neuchâtel Fantastic, and SIGGRAPH - Electronic Theater film festivals. It also went on to compete at the German Camera Awards.