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Mariam Al Ferjani’s FIRST THE BLUSH THEN THE HABIT to have its Arab premiere at Cairo International Film Festival, following a striking world premiere at Warsaw
14 October 2025
After a successful world premiere at the 41st Warsaw International Film Festival, the Tunisian-Italian short film FIRST THE BLUSH THEN THE HABIT, directed by Mariam Al Ferjani, is set for its Arab premiere in the Official Short Film Competition at the 46th Cairo International Film Festival, taking place from November 12 to 21.
Layla has a fierce journey before landing in the same city where Ettore lives. Ettore, decades earlier, had an unforgettable passage to escape war. Since then, Layla and Ettore’s undead bodies cruise the city every night in search of food. In a tale of blood and transgression, Layla and Ettore refuse to be the victims of a past they couldn't control.
Starring the director herself Mariam Al Ferjani, alongside Bartolo Casiraghi and Bruno Casiraghi, the short is shot by Simone Mazzoleni, edited by Marco Longo, with sound design by Lucia Grazzola, and a licensed score by the late Umberto Bindi.
With MAD World handling worldwide sales and MAD Distribution in charge of distribution across the Arab World, FIRST THE BLUSH THEN THE HABIT is produced by Marco Longo in tandem with the company Berenice.
Mariam Al Ferjani is a Tunisian actress, scriptwriter, director, and artist. She studied film direction at the Luchino Visconti Cinema School in Milan while also attending acting classes at the Paolo Grassi Theater School. Al Ferjani made her debut as a photographer/performer in Paris. Acclaimed for her performance in the Cannes-premiering BEAUTY AND THE DOGS, which was directed by acclaimed Oscar nominee Kaouther Ben Hania.
Al Ferjani has since garnered six international awards, including the 2018 Arab Critics' Award for Best Performance. She expanded her repertoire with directorial and scriptwriting roles in the short film OMERTÀ, which was screened at the Directors' Fortnight in 2018. Her on-screen presence continued with roles in REBORN, AMAL, and OMAYMA, CAIRO-BERLIN, HARGA, and SAMRA’S DOLLHOUSE.
Layla has a fierce journey before landing in the same city where Ettore lives. Ettore, decades earlier, had an unforgettable passage to escape war. Since then, Layla and Ettore’s undead bodies cruise the city every night in search of food. In a tale of blood and transgression, Layla and Ettore refuse to be the victims of a past they couldn't control.
Starring the director herself Mariam Al Ferjani, alongside Bartolo Casiraghi and Bruno Casiraghi, the short is shot by Simone Mazzoleni, edited by Marco Longo, with sound design by Lucia Grazzola, and a licensed score by the late Umberto Bindi.
With MAD World handling worldwide sales and MAD Distribution in charge of distribution across the Arab World, FIRST THE BLUSH THEN THE HABIT is produced by Marco Longo in tandem with the company Berenice.
Mariam Al Ferjani is a Tunisian actress, scriptwriter, director, and artist. She studied film direction at the Luchino Visconti Cinema School in Milan while also attending acting classes at the Paolo Grassi Theater School. Al Ferjani made her debut as a photographer/performer in Paris. Acclaimed for her performance in the Cannes-premiering BEAUTY AND THE DOGS, which was directed by acclaimed Oscar nominee Kaouther Ben Hania.
Al Ferjani has since garnered six international awards, including the 2018 Arab Critics' Award for Best Performance. She expanded her repertoire with directorial and scriptwriting roles in the short film OMERTÀ, which was screened at the Directors' Fortnight in 2018. Her on-screen presence continued with roles in REBORN, AMAL, and OMAYMA, CAIRO-BERLIN, HARGA, and SAMRA’S DOLLHOUSE.
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