Latest news with #MADWorld
Broadcast Pro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
‘The Wound' set for Moroccan premiere at Casablanca Arab Film Festival
The film will also be released in theaters across Morocco shortly after its Casablanca premiere. After a successful international festival run, The Wound, the debut feature from Moroccan filmmaker Seloua El Gouni, is set to make its national premiere at the Casablanca Arab Film Festival, which runs until June 20. Following screenings at platforms such as Cannes, Beirut and Athens, the Casablanca showing marks a symbolic return home for the acclaimed drama. Shortly after its Moroccan premiere, The Wound will be released in theatres across the country, allowing local audiences to experience what has become one of the most discussed Moroccan films of the year. The film continues its international momentum, having been selected for the Official Competition at the Mediterranean Film Festival in Malta, which runs from June 21 to 29. The Wound centres on Leila, a young Moroccan woman entering adulthood and the workforce, as she attempts to forge her path while grappling with societal expectations and the limitations placed on women. Through her story, the film delves into themes of identity, gender roles, and the tension between tradition and modernity in Morocco. Director Seloua El Gouni describes the film as a journey through the intersection of cultural heritage and the search for personal autonomy, set in a society where the voices of tradition often challenge those of individualism. The film recently held its Arab World premiere at the Beirut International Women's Film Festival and previously earned the Best First Feature Award at the Athens International Art Film Festival. It has also screened at several international events, including the Bridges International Film Festival, the Women and World International Film Festival in the UK, the Scandinavian International Film Festival in Finland, and the Lift-Off Sessions for New Directors in the UK, where it won the Audience Choice Award. Produced by El Gouni and Taha Benghalem, who co-wrote the script with Brice and Brian Baxter, The Wound features performances from Oumaima Barid, Amal Ayouch, Mansour Badri, Brice Bexter, Soraya Azzabi, Abdelhak Saleh and Sami Fekkak, with cinematography by Travis Tips. International sales are managed by MAD World. El Gouni, who previously worked on Hollywood productions such as Men in Black: International and A Hologram for the King, marks her transition into directing with The Wound — an exploration of female agency and cultural identity in contemporary Morocco.
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
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Moroccan film ‘Aicha' to world premiere at Krakow Film Festival
The film is distributed across Arab-speaking territories by MAD Distribution. Aicha, a short film by Moroccan filmmaker Sanaa El Alaoui, is set to have its world premiere in the Short Film Competition at the Krakow Film Festival, one of Europe's longest-running celebrations of cinematic art. Now in its 65th edition, the festival, which has been held annually since 1961, will run this year from May 25 to June 1. The film tells the story of a once emotionally distant mother who joins a mystical ceremony in an effort to confront her grief and reconnect with the memory of her 17-year-old daughter, whose life was cut short by tragedy. The narrative explores themes of loss, healing, and transformation through a surreal and spiritual lens. Speaking on her featurette, Alaoui stated: 'Watching AICHA breaks the illusion of time's linearity, allowing you to see life and death unfold simultaneously', further adding that, 'Trauma shatters our perception of time and space; it reshapes our identities. It offers us either the chance to let go or to be reborn, and that is the journey of the daughter and her mother.' The cast features Hind Dafer, Manal Bennani, Mohamed Amine Kihal, Sanaa El Alaoui, Kenza Fridou, Soumia Belkaria and Mustapha Rachdi. El Alaoui wrote and directed the film, which was produced by Piotr Kaczorowski. The film's cinematography is by Oskar Jan Król, editing by Michał Buczek, and animation by Tomek Popakul and Kasumi Ozeki. Aicha is distributed across Arabic-speaking regions by MAD Distribution, with international sales managed by MAD World. El Alaoui, known for her thoughtful storytelling and visual sensibility, holds degrees from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest—where her thesis on the long take in cinema received the Best Thesis of the Year Award—and the University of Oxford, where she focused her research on the evolution of Moroccan cinema from its colonial roots to the modern era.
Broadcast Pro
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Malmö Arab Film Festival to screen documentary ‘Diaries From Lebanon'
The docudrama, set in Lebanon, is a joint production between Lebanon, France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Myriam El Hajj's Lebanese feature-length documentary Diaries From Lebanon is set to be screened at the Malmö Arab Film Festival (MAFF) on May 2. El-Hajj's documentary delves into the lives of Georges, Joumana and Perla Joe, each representing a different generation with unique perspectives on reshaping Lebanon. However, as the country grapples with disruptions and personal quests unfold, they are confronted with the question — can our dreams survive in a world in turmoil? Diaries From Lebanon (in Arabic Mitl 'Osas el Hob, or Like Love Stories) is a joint production between Lebanon, France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The film was written, directed, and co-filmed by Myriam El Hajj, with contributions from Jihad Saadé and Mohamed Siam. It was produced by Georges Schoucair of Abbout Productions (Lebanon) and Laurent Ruszniewski of GoGoGo Films (France). Anita Perez and Stéphanie Sicard handled the editing. MAD World, a subsidiary of MAD Solutions, is responsible for the film's global sales. The documentary features author and activist Joumana Haddad, Lebanese war veteran Georges Moufarej, and artist and activist Perla Joe Maalouli. Diaries From Lebanon received support from various organisations, including the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée (CNC), the Fonds Image de la Francophonie, Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, International Media Support (IMS), Visions Sud Est with the support of the SDC, and the Lebanese Film Fund-an Initiative of the Fondation Liban Cinema. Additionally, the film received funding from the Doha Film Institute, the Red Sea Fund and the Atlas Workshops of the Marrakech International Film Festival, and won the Mactari Mixing Auditorium Award and Titra Films Award at the Final Cut in Venice Workshop.
Broadcast Pro
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Sabrine Khoury's ‘The Miracle of Life' to premiere at Beirut Int'l Women Film
A joint production between Palestine and the Netherlands, the film is written, directed and edited by Sabrine Khoury. Sabrine Khoury's short experimental documentary The Miracle of Life is set to make its world premiere at the eighth Beirut International Women Film Festival, competing in the Short Experimental category from April 27 to May 3. This marks the film's debut on the international festival circuit. The film intimately chronicles the emotional and physical experiences of a Palestinian woman living in the Netherlands as she prepares for motherhood. Through personal reflections, the protagonist navigates anxiety, bodily transformation and a profound identity crisis, all while pushing back against societal expectations of pregnancy and motherhood. Set during the Gaza War, the woman's internal turmoil is deepened by the external conflict, giving voice to a multi-layered narrative of personal and political significance. Khoury, who both wrote and directed the film, revealed that her own pregnancy in September 2023 inspired the work. 'It was a planned pregnancy, and I was happy and excited about this new journey; however, that joy was overshadowed by pain and questions,' she shared. 'This film is born from these intense and conflicting emotions. It seeks to explore the complex realities of pregnancy and motherhood against the backdrop of the war in Gaza while questioning the legitimacy of my own feelings. I truly hope to honour the resilience and strength of women navigating these profound experiences.' A joint Palestinian-Dutch production, The Miracle of Life was produced by Nawl Productions and features cinematography by Rashed Rashed, music by Maen El Ghoul, and sound design by Sami Merib. Khoury also served as editor. MAD World is handling worldwide sales, while MAD Distribution oversees its release in the Arab region. Born in Canada, Khoury later returned to her hometown of Nazareth, Palestine, and currently resides in the Netherlands, where she continues her work as a filmmaker and producer.
