Arab distributor Mad Solutions has taken world sales on Lebanese director Myriam El-Hajj’s timely feature documentary “Diaries From Lebanon” ahead of its upcoming premiere in the Berlinale’s Panorama section.
El-Hajj’s new doc features three characters from different generations who are looking for their place in Lebanon, a country “haunted by a past that continues to pollute the present,” as the doc’s synopsis puts it.
The protagonists, named Georges, Joumana and Perla Joe, have different perspectives on whether to change Lebanon’s dismal national narrative “through war, politics or revolution,” the description continues.
But as Lebanon’s ongoing mayhem prompts personal quests for meaning and survival, they are all confronted with the same basic question: “Is it possible to sustain our dream in the face of a crumbling world around us?”
El-Hajj’s previous doc “A Time to Rest” examined Lebanon’s Civil War and premiered at...
El-Hajj’s new doc features three characters from different generations who are looking for their place in Lebanon, a country “haunted by a past that continues to pollute the present,” as the doc’s synopsis puts it.
The protagonists, named Georges, Joumana and Perla Joe, have different perspectives on whether to change Lebanon’s dismal national narrative “through war, politics or revolution,” the description continues.
But as Lebanon’s ongoing mayhem prompts personal quests for meaning and survival, they are all confronted with the same basic question: “Is it possible to sustain our dream in the face of a crumbling world around us?”
El-Hajj’s previous doc “A Time to Rest” examined Lebanon’s Civil War and premiered at...
- 1/26/2024
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Mad Solutions has acquired world sales rights to Egyptian director Amr Salama’s short film 60 Egyptian Pounds ahead of its world premiere as the opening film of the upcoming El Gouna Film Festival.
Salama is one of Egypt’s most popular directors with recent credits including Shahid-commissioned drama Bimbo, starring Ahmed Malek as a drug dealer-turned-detective; fantasy feature Bara El Manhag, Netlfix series Paranormal and Toronto hit Sheikh Jackson.
60 Egyptian Pounds grew out of Salama’s fascination and love of Egypt’s burgeoning hip-hop scene as well as desire to shed light on domestic abuse.
The short stars real-life Egyptian rap star Ziad Zaza, in his first big screen role, as a fictitious rapper with an abusive father, who takes it upon himself to end his family’s suffering once and for all.
“Working on 60 pounds was a liberating and refreshing experience,” says Salama. “I was curious to explore...
Salama is one of Egypt’s most popular directors with recent credits including Shahid-commissioned drama Bimbo, starring Ahmed Malek as a drug dealer-turned-detective; fantasy feature Bara El Manhag, Netlfix series Paranormal and Toronto hit Sheikh Jackson.
60 Egyptian Pounds grew out of Salama’s fascination and love of Egypt’s burgeoning hip-hop scene as well as desire to shed light on domestic abuse.
The short stars real-life Egyptian rap star Ziad Zaza, in his first big screen role, as a fictitious rapper with an abusive father, who takes it upon himself to end his family’s suffering once and for all.
“Working on 60 pounds was a liberating and refreshing experience,” says Salama. “I was curious to explore...
- 9/18/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The Intl. Emerging Film Talent Assn. returns to Cannes for the 13th year with a series of events to showcase new faces from underrepresented regions. The lineup will include screenings of films centering on refugees, a cash award for a documentary and spotlights on Arab and Sudanese cinema.
For the sixth year, Iefta is collaborating with the United Nations Refugee Agency (Unhcr) at the Marche du Film. The program presents filmmakers — a number of them refugees themselves — who are documenting the experiences of those forced to flee from violence, famine or political oppression.
The Un agency and Iefta provide filmmaking tools and training to those affected. Refugees speak out about loss and desperation, but also resilience and hope.
“Refugee Voices in Films” this year features films from the Sudan Workshop focusing on the Horn of Africa. The Sudan Workshop is part of Unhcr’s developmental program with refugee filmmakers.
This...
For the sixth year, Iefta is collaborating with the United Nations Refugee Agency (Unhcr) at the Marche du Film. The program presents filmmakers — a number of them refugees themselves — who are documenting the experiences of those forced to flee from violence, famine or political oppression.
The Un agency and Iefta provide filmmaking tools and training to those affected. Refugees speak out about loss and desperation, but also resilience and hope.
“Refugee Voices in Films” this year features films from the Sudan Workshop focusing on the Horn of Africa. The Sudan Workshop is part of Unhcr’s developmental program with refugee filmmakers.
This...
- 5/17/2023
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
It is the Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated director’s first feature shot in Palestine since his 2015 Gaza-set drama The Idol.
Memento Films International (Mfi) has boarded sales on Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad’s new film Huda’s Salon, which is billed as a “feminist spy thriller” set in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
It is the Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated director’s first feature shot in Palestine since his 2015 drama The Idol about a talented young singer who makes his way out of the Gaza Strip to compete in Arab Idol.
Based on real events, the new film co-stars...
Memento Films International (Mfi) has boarded sales on Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad’s new film Huda’s Salon, which is billed as a “feminist spy thriller” set in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
It is the Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated director’s first feature shot in Palestine since his 2015 drama The Idol about a talented young singer who makes his way out of the Gaza Strip to compete in Arab Idol.
Based on real events, the new film co-stars...
- 2/20/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
The joint initiative between European Film Promotion and the Arab Cinema Center, aiming to promote European cinema to the Arab world, handed out its award at the Cairo Film Festival. Efp (European Film Promotion) and the Arab Cinema Center (Acc) have presented the first Arab Critics' Award for European Films to God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya by Teona Strugar Mitevska. 42 film critics from 13 Arab countries selected the best European film out of 24 nominations submitted by national film promotion institutions from throughout Europe. During a festive event at the Cairo International Film Festival, Sonja Heinen, Alaa Karkouti, Maher Diab and festival director Mohamed Hefzy presented the Arab Critics' Award to Labina Mitevska, producer and one of the lead actresses of the winning film (and the director's sister). In a joint statement, the creative sisters thank the jury: "We come from a country, a region, a zone of...
- 11/26/2019
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
“God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunya,” a satirical drama by Macedonian director Teona Strugar Mitevska, has won the inaugural Arab Critics’ Award for European Films. The film, which positions itself as “a feminist cry against a patriarchal Macedonia in the grips of bullying machismo and hidebound religion,” according to its review in Variety, was selected by 42 Arab film critics from 24 nominations submitted by national film institutions from across Europe.
European Film Promotion, an agency that boosts the global profile of European cinema, and the Arab Cinema Center revealed the winner on Saturday at the Cairo Intl. Film Festival.
The aim of the award is to promote European cinema in the Arab world, and raise the interest of Middle Eastern distributors and other industry players in European films, as well as putting a spotlight on the work of film critics from Arab countries in bridging cultural differences and introducing audiences to new forms of cinema.
European Film Promotion, an agency that boosts the global profile of European cinema, and the Arab Cinema Center revealed the winner on Saturday at the Cairo Intl. Film Festival.
The aim of the award is to promote European cinema in the Arab world, and raise the interest of Middle Eastern distributors and other industry players in European films, as well as putting a spotlight on the work of film critics from Arab countries in bridging cultural differences and introducing audiences to new forms of cinema.
- 11/24/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Winner will be announced at the Cairo International Film Festival.
The shortlist for the inaugural edition of the new Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films has been unveiled.
The three nominated films are: Spanish filmmaker Salvador Simo’s feature-length animation Buñuel In The Labyrinth Of The Turtles; Polish director Jan Komasa’s drama Corpus Christi and North Macedonian director Teona Strugar Mitevska’s work God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya.
The winner will be announced at the Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff) running Nov 20-29.
Simo’s Buñuel In The Labyrinth Of The Turtles – inspired by the shoot of Luis Buñuel...
The shortlist for the inaugural edition of the new Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films has been unveiled.
The three nominated films are: Spanish filmmaker Salvador Simo’s feature-length animation Buñuel In The Labyrinth Of The Turtles; Polish director Jan Komasa’s drama Corpus Christi and North Macedonian director Teona Strugar Mitevska’s work God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya.
The winner will be announced at the Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff) running Nov 20-29.
Simo’s Buñuel In The Labyrinth Of The Turtles – inspired by the shoot of Luis Buñuel...
- 11/20/2019
- by 1100380¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Forty-two film critics from 13 Arab countries have joined the jury for the Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films, with the award ceremony to be held at the Cairo Intl. Film Festival in November.
The jury will select the best European film from entries submitted by national film bodies from across Europe.
The awards have been launched by the Arab Cinema Center in partnership with European Film Promotion, an agency that champions European films around the world.
The critics from Egypt participating in the awards are Ahmed Shawky, Amal Gamal, Andrew Mohsen, Essam Zakaria, Khaled Mahmoud, Magda Khirallah, Mohamed Atef, Ola Shafey, Ossama Abdel Fattah, Rasha Hosny, Safaa Elaisy and Tarek El Shinnawi.
The critics from Morocco are Abdelkarim Ouakrim, Hammadi Gueroum, Khalil Demmoun, Mohamed Benaziz, Rachid Naim and Mohammed Chouika.
The Iraqi critics are Kadhum Saloom, Kais Kassem, Mahdi Abba, Tarek Khuzai, Ziad Khuzai, Safaa Jibara Al-saleh and Erfan Rashid.
The jury will select the best European film from entries submitted by national film bodies from across Europe.
The awards have been launched by the Arab Cinema Center in partnership with European Film Promotion, an agency that champions European films around the world.
The critics from Egypt participating in the awards are Ahmed Shawky, Amal Gamal, Andrew Mohsen, Essam Zakaria, Khaled Mahmoud, Magda Khirallah, Mohamed Atef, Ola Shafey, Ossama Abdel Fattah, Rasha Hosny, Safaa Elaisy and Tarek El Shinnawi.
The critics from Morocco are Abdelkarim Ouakrim, Hammadi Gueroum, Khalil Demmoun, Mohamed Benaziz, Rachid Naim and Mohammed Chouika.
The Iraqi critics are Kadhum Saloom, Kais Kassem, Mahdi Abba, Tarek Khuzai, Ziad Khuzai, Safaa Jibara Al-saleh and Erfan Rashid.
- 9/9/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The award will be announced at the Cairo International Film Festival I Egypt (November 20-29)
Lamia Guiga, Tunisian film critic and delegate general of the Carthage Film Festival, leading UK-based Lebanese critic Mohammed Rouda, and Egyptian film journalist Rasha Hosny, are among the jury members for Cairo-based Arab Cinema Center (Acc)’s new Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films.
The news was announced following a meeting between Heinen and Acc founders Maher Diab and Alaa Karkouti at Tiff.
Some 42 critics from 13 countries have joined the initiative and the award will be announced at the Cairo International Film Festival I Egypt...
Lamia Guiga, Tunisian film critic and delegate general of the Carthage Film Festival, leading UK-based Lebanese critic Mohammed Rouda, and Egyptian film journalist Rasha Hosny, are among the jury members for Cairo-based Arab Cinema Center (Acc)’s new Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films.
The news was announced following a meeting between Heinen and Acc founders Maher Diab and Alaa Karkouti at Tiff.
Some 42 critics from 13 countries have joined the initiative and the award will be announced at the Cairo International Film Festival I Egypt...
- 9/8/2019
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
‘Wajib’ took best film and best screenplay.
Palestinian director and Un Certain Regard jury member Annemarie Jacir scooped best film and best screenplay for father-son drama Wajib in the second edition of the Arab Critics Awards, which were announced in Cannes on Saturday.
Lebanese filmmaker Ziad Doueiri clinched best director for his Oscar-nominated political drama The Insult.
In other awards for Wajib, Mohamed Bakri clinched best actor for his performance as a father personally delivering invitations for his daughter’s marriage as per Nazareth tradition with his estranged son, who has returned home for the wedding.
Mariam Alferjani, a Screen...
Palestinian director and Un Certain Regard jury member Annemarie Jacir scooped best film and best screenplay for father-son drama Wajib in the second edition of the Arab Critics Awards, which were announced in Cannes on Saturday.
Lebanese filmmaker Ziad Doueiri clinched best director for his Oscar-nominated political drama The Insult.
In other awards for Wajib, Mohamed Bakri clinched best actor for his performance as a father personally delivering invitations for his daughter’s marriage as per Nazareth tradition with his estranged son, who has returned home for the wedding.
Mariam Alferjani, a Screen...
- 5/13/2018
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Mohammad Bakri, left, has been nominated for best actor for Wajib, which is also vying for Best Film and Best Screenplay
The Arab Cinema Center has announced the shortlist of nominees for the 2nd Annual Critics awards. The awards, which will be announced during Cannes Film Festival, will have been voted on by 62 critics from 28 countries.
Film analyst Alaa Karkouti, co-founder of the Arab Cinema Center (Acc) and CEO of Mad Solutions, said: "It is a great achievement to bring together 62 film critics from across 28 countries to view dozens of the finest home-grown films that the Arab cinema has to offer and to end up with a list of nominees from across eight Arab countries. This comes as a good indicator that many Arab countries have been taking the right steps to boost the Arab filmmaking industry. "
Maher Diab, creative director and co-founder of the Arab Cinema Center (Acc) and Mad Solutions,...
The Arab Cinema Center has announced the shortlist of nominees for the 2nd Annual Critics awards. The awards, which will be announced during Cannes Film Festival, will have been voted on by 62 critics from 28 countries.
Film analyst Alaa Karkouti, co-founder of the Arab Cinema Center (Acc) and CEO of Mad Solutions, said: "It is a great achievement to bring together 62 film critics from across 28 countries to view dozens of the finest home-grown films that the Arab cinema has to offer and to end up with a list of nominees from across eight Arab countries. This comes as a good indicator that many Arab countries have been taking the right steps to boost the Arab filmmaking industry. "
Maher Diab, creative director and co-founder of the Arab Cinema Center (Acc) and Mad Solutions,...
- 4/24/2018
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Two new film festivals in the Arab world — and not in the Gulf States region where Kuwait had its first festival last month — have announced their first editions. Jordan and Egypt, along with the first ever Arab Critics Awards casts a new light onto just what Arab cinema is.
What began several years ago in the recently oil-rich Gulf nations of Dubai, Abu-Dhabi and Qatar who first brought the notion of Arab cinema to the western world with expensive receptions (including a camel one year at the Toronto Film Festival) and ultra fancy festivals (Abu Dhabi has since bowed out of its Tribeca Ff partnership and pulled back on all but its film fund) has now come to a more balanced sharing of Arabic cinema as a multi-culturally wealthy medium.
With the growth of Cairo-based Mad Solutions which started as a public relations agency for Arab-content cinema and expanded into...
What began several years ago in the recently oil-rich Gulf nations of Dubai, Abu-Dhabi and Qatar who first brought the notion of Arab cinema to the western world with expensive receptions (including a camel one year at the Toronto Film Festival) and ultra fancy festivals (Abu Dhabi has since bowed out of its Tribeca Ff partnership and pulled back on all but its film fund) has now come to a more balanced sharing of Arabic cinema as a multi-culturally wealthy medium.
With the growth of Cairo-based Mad Solutions which started as a public relations agency for Arab-content cinema and expanded into...
- 6/4/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Exclusive: Egyptian revolution dramas loom large in first edition of awards.
Egyptian director Mohamed Diab has won best director and best screenplay for his revolution drama Clash [pictured], which opened Un Certain Regard last year, in the first edition of the Arab Critics’ Awards.
The film-maker, who is back in Cannes this year as a member of the Un Certain Regard jury, will receive the award at a special ceremony at Cannes Film Festival today (May 21).
The prize for best film went to Tamer El Said’s In the Last Days Of The City, which captures Cairo in the lead-up to the revolution through a film-maker receiving footage from friends based in Beirut, Baghdad and Berlin.
Best actor went to Tunisia’s Majd Mastoura for his performance in Tunisian revolution allegory Hedi and best actress went to Heba Ali for Withered Green.
Overseen by the Arab Cinema Center (Acc), the Arab Critics’ Awards involves 24 jury members from 15 countries...
Egyptian director Mohamed Diab has won best director and best screenplay for his revolution drama Clash [pictured], which opened Un Certain Regard last year, in the first edition of the Arab Critics’ Awards.
The film-maker, who is back in Cannes this year as a member of the Un Certain Regard jury, will receive the award at a special ceremony at Cannes Film Festival today (May 21).
The prize for best film went to Tamer El Said’s In the Last Days Of The City, which captures Cairo in the lead-up to the revolution through a film-maker receiving footage from friends based in Beirut, Baghdad and Berlin.
Best actor went to Tunisia’s Majd Mastoura for his performance in Tunisian revolution allegory Hedi and best actress went to Heba Ali for Withered Green.
Overseen by the Arab Cinema Center (Acc), the Arab Critics’ Awards involves 24 jury members from 15 countries...
- 5/21/2017
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Egyptian revolution dramas loom large in first edition of awards.
Egyptian director Mohamed Diab has won best director and best screenplay for his revolution drama Clash [pictured], which opened Un Certain Regard last year, in the first edition of the Arab Critics’ Awards.
The film-maker, who is back in Cannes this year as a member of the Un Certain Regard jury, will receive the award at a special ceremony at Cannes Film Festival today (May 21).
The prize for best film went to Tamer El Said’s In the Last Days Of The City, which captures Cairo in the lead-up to the revolution through a film-maker receiving footage from friends based in Beirut, Baghdad and Berlin.
Best actor went to Tunisia’s Majd Mastoura for his performance in Tunisian revolution allegory Hedi and best actress went to Heba Ali for Withered Green.
Overseen by the Arab Cinema Center (Acc), the Arab Critics’ Awards involves 24 jury members from 15 countries...
Egyptian director Mohamed Diab has won best director and best screenplay for his revolution drama Clash [pictured], which opened Un Certain Regard last year, in the first edition of the Arab Critics’ Awards.
The film-maker, who is back in Cannes this year as a member of the Un Certain Regard jury, will receive the award at a special ceremony at Cannes Film Festival today (May 21).
The prize for best film went to Tamer El Said’s In the Last Days Of The City, which captures Cairo in the lead-up to the revolution through a film-maker receiving footage from friends based in Beirut, Baghdad and Berlin.
Best actor went to Tunisia’s Majd Mastoura for his performance in Tunisian revolution allegory Hedi and best actress went to Heba Ali for Withered Green.
Overseen by the Arab Cinema Center (Acc), the Arab Critics’ Awards involves 24 jury members from 15 countries...
- 5/21/2017
- ScreenDaily
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