Latest news with #MADSolutions
Broadcast Pro
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Palestinian documentary ‘LYD' to screen in Cyprus and Greece
The documentary follows the rise and fall of Lyd, a 5,000-year-old metropolis that was once a bustling Palestinian town until it was conquered by the State of Israel, which was established in 1948. The Palestinian documentary LYD, directed by Rami Younis, a Palestinian filmmaker, writer and journalist, and Sarah Ema Friedland, a New York-based documentary filmmaker, will be showcased across three cities during the Palestinian Independent Film Festival (PIFF), taking place from June 13 to 15. Audiences in Limassol, Cyprus, as well as Chania and Agios Nikolaos in Crete, Greece, will have the opportunity to experience this film. LYD presents a sci-fi documentary narrative, tracing the trajectory of Lyd, a 5,000-year-old metropolis that transformed from a vibrant Palestinian town to a conquered entity following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Through an array of characters, the film weaves a tapestry of the Palestinian experience in this city, highlighting the enduring impact of the massacre and expulsion. MAD Solutions is the worldwide distributor and sales agent for the film. The film recently received the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Houston Palestine Film Festival and the Audience Choice Award for Feature Films at the San Diego Arab Film Festival. LYD also received the Best Asian Feature Award at the Pramana Asian Film Festival, earned two mentions at the Sguardi Altrove International Women's Film Festival, and won both a Jury Award for Best Documentary and the inaugural FIPRESCI Award at the fourth edition of the Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film. The film has garnered attention at festivals, including Pune, Middle East Now, Al Ard, Reel Palestine, Palestinian, and Melbourne Science Fiction. Moreover, it has had multiple screenings worldwide, including extensive showings across the US, Jordan, Italy and Australia. Roger Waters, the movie's executive producer, is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and composer known for co-founding the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965, where he served as its bassist.
Broadcast Pro
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Sydney Film Festival adds MAD titles to 2025 line-up
These two additions will spotlight deeply human narratives from the Arab world and its diasporas The Sydney Film Festival, set to run from June 4 to 15, has announced the addition of two titles from MAD Solutions to its 2025 programme: Yunan and Têtes brûlées, both of which bring emotionally resonant storytelling to the international stage. Yunan, the latest work from Syrian filmmaker Ameer Fakher Eldin, is the second installment in his HOME trilogy, which delves into the emotional landscape of estrangement and exile. The film follows an Arab writer who, burdened by disillusionment, leaves his life in Hamburg and retreats to a secluded island on the North Sea, intending to end his life. His unexpected encounter with an elderly woman and her quiet acts of compassion slowly reignite his will to live. Directed, written and edited by Ameer Fakher Eldin, the film is a Canadian-German-Italian co-production, with contributions from Palestine, Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The cast includes Lebanese actor and filmmaker George Khabbaz, German actress Hanna Schygulla, Palestinian actor Ali Suleiman and Game of Thrones stars Sibel Kekilli and Thomas Wlaschiha, alongside Lebanese theatre veteran Nidal El Ashkar. Ameer Fakher Eldin, a Syrian filmmaker based in Hamburg, was born in Kyiv in 1991 to Syrian parents from the occupied Golan Heights. Joining Yunan in the festival's program is Têtes brûlées, a poignant coming-of-age story from Belgian-Tunisian-Danish director Maja Ajmia Zellama. The film centers on 12-year-old Eya as she grapples with the sudden death of her older brother Younès. Through a heartfelt exploration of grief, Eya finds solace in her imagination, her brother's close-knit circle of friends, and her own inner strength, as she begins to navigate a world without him. Produced by Komoko, with co-productions by Quetzalcoatl and 1080 Films, Têtes brûlées is a Belgian film enriched by Tunisian cultural influences. The cast features Safa Gharbaoui, Mehdi Bouziane, Mounir Amamra—known for his role in DIVINES—along with Adnane El Haruati, Saber Tabi, Nicolas Makola, Mehdi Zellama and Monia Taieb.
Broadcast Pro
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
MAD Solutions brings six short films to Rotterdam Arab Film Festival
Each of these six films is represented internationally by MAD World, with MAD Distribution handling sales across the Arab World. MAD Solutions is showcasing a lineup of six short films at this year's Rotterdam Arab Film Festival, which runs through June 1. The selected works—Last Nights of Summer, Love Bites, Madonna, Upshot, Nya and Born a Celebrity—hail from across the Arab region and delve into themes of family, identity, freedom and memory. Opening the slate is Last Nights of Summer, a story following three cousins—Farah, Rana and Leila—who reunite at their childhood home in Jordan two years after their grandfather's death. Written and directed by Yasser, the film examines the subtle transformations in relationships over time and distance. It stars Tara Emad, who also serves as executive producer, alongside Shahd El Shater and Farah Aboughattas, with cinematography by Mohamed Ashraf Koushi and music by Donia Wael. Following is Love Bites, a tense family drama centered on two brothers who struggle to agree on how to prepare their deceased sister's body after discovering unexpected marks that could spark scandal among waiting mourners. The cast includes Sedky Sakhr, Mahmoud Zain, Sohila Alanwar, Nadia Hassan, Mahmoud Yehia, Sara Alaaeldin and Rowan Alaa Eldin. The film features cinematography by Moamen Alameldin and editing by Mohamed Mamdouh. In Madonna, the action shifts to a monastery in Egypt, where the theft of an archaeological artifact puts the abbots under pressure. Tensions rise between Father Maurice and Francis, and suspicion falls on Suad, the chef, who is struggling to secure surgery for her daughter. A dramatic turn shifts the stakes entirely. Directed by John Fareed Zaki and co-written with Abanoub Nabil, the film stars Karim Kassem, Abd El-Aziz Makhyoun and George Sassine, with visuals by cinematographer Filopater Morad and editing by Sara Abdullah. The psychological drama Upshot unfolds on a secluded farm in Gaza, where Suleiman and Lubna have isolated themselves in the aftermath of personal tragedy. Their fragile peace is disrupted by the arrival of a stranger, triggering a descent into unresolved grief and memory. Directed by Maha Haj, the film is a co-production between Palestine, Italy and France, and features performances by Mohammed Bakri, Areen Omari and Amer Hlehel. Offering a child's-eye view of conflict, Nya tells the story of seven-year-old Anya, living in a 1994 Algerian suburb. As civil unrest creeps closer, her carefree world begins to fray. Directed by Imene Ayadi, the film features a standout performance by Melissa Benyahia and captures the quiet erosion of childhood innocence against a backdrop of war. Closing the selection is Born a Celebrity, a thoughtful character study of Kamel, a 25-year-old Palestinian man overwhelmed by the attention of his tightly-knit community. As he seeks space to define his own identity, his quiet rebellion becomes a moving meditation on freedom and social pressure. The film is written, directed, edited and co-produced by Luay Awwad with Nour Abukamal, and stars Munther Bannourah and Khaled Masso. All six films are represented internationally by MAD World, with MAD Distribution handling Arab world sales.
Broadcast Pro
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Algerian film ‘Algiers' set to screen in Abu Dhabi
MAD Solutions handles the film's distribution in the Arab world, while The Party Film Sales handles worldwide distribution. Algerian writer, director, and musician Chakib Taleb-Bendiab's feature-length directorial debut, Algiers, is set to screen at Manarat Al Saadiyat Art Gallery, Abu Dhabi, on May 31. Algiers is an investigative thriller addressing the serious issue of child kidnapping in Algeria, a country still recovering from its civil war. The film follows the story of a kidnapped little girl, sparking a wave of tension and suspicion throughout the city. Central to the narrative are Dounia, a skilled psychiatrist, and Sami, a committed police inspector, who together navigate the haunting shadows of Algeria's past to unravel the mystery. Written and directed by Bendiab, the film features a stellar cast including Meriem Medjkane, Nabil Asli, Chahrazad Kracheni, Hichem Mesbah, Slimane Benouari and Ali Namous. Algiers is produced by Khaled Chikhi and Yasmine Dhoukar, with executive production by Canadian filmmaker Patricia Chica. The cinematography is by Ikbal Arafat, who won the Best Cinematography Award in 2018 at the Satisfied Eye International Film Festival for Black Spirit. The film is edited by Bendiab and Fouad Benhammou and is distributed internationally by MAD World and in Arabic-speaking territories by MAD Distribution.
Broadcast Pro
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
‘Thank You For Banking With Us' wins top prize at Critics Awards
The film, directed by Laila Abbas, is an incisive portrayal of two sisters navigating the complexities of patriarchal laws and the broader political tensions of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Laila Abbas's debut feature, Thank You For Banking With Us, has taken top honours at the ninth Critics Awards for Arab Films, winning Best Film. The Palestinian production, which had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, also earned Abbas the Best Director award. Written, directed and produced by Abbas through her Ramallah-based company Young Oak Productions, the film is a joint German-Palestinian production that delves into themes of female empowerment and familial struggle. It follows the story of sisters Mariam and Noura, who, after the death of their father, hatch a plan to claim a large inheritance, determined to bypass their brother's legal claim to half of the estate. Laila Abbas describes the film as a tribute to the strength of womanhood and the power of solidarity among women. 'It's a story about sisters who, having endured their own tragedies and heartbreaks, come together to become stronger,' she said. Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch's Everybody Loves Touda also made a strong showing, taking home two awards. The film premiered in the Cannes Premiere section last year and continues to gain critical recognition across the festival circuit. Actor Adam Bessa was awarded Best Actor for his performance in Ghost Trail, a French-Tunisian film that further underscores the diversity and talent emerging from the Arab film world. The Critics Awards for Arab Films honour the most outstanding achievements in Arab cinema over the past year. Winners are chosen by a global panel of 281 film critics, reflecting a broad and international perspective on the region's cinematic output. The awards are organised by the Arab Cinema Center in partnership with MAD Solutions, the International Emerging Film Talent Association, and the NEFT Emerging Film Talent International Competition, all of which work to promote and celebrate Arab storytelling on a global stage.
