In anticipation of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, industry insider Screen Daily announced that MAD Distribution, the MENA releasing arm of Cairo-based indie studio MAD Solutions, has secured Arab distribution rights to over 30 films from 16 different countries. These titles will be released across the Arabic-speaking world in 2024 and 2025.
Four of these films were featured at this year’s Cannes Film Festival:
- GHOST TRAIL by Jonathan Millet, which opened Critics’ Week
- THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE by Mo Harawe, the first film shot in Somalia to be featured in Un Certain Regard
- DEER’S TOOTH by Saif Hammash, a Palestinian short selected for La Cinef
- AFTER THE SUN by Rayane Mcirdi, an Algerian-French short in Directors’ Fortnight
A Diverse Collection from the Arab World
The newly acquired titles come from a variety of countries including Egypt, Tunisia, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Qatar, Morocco, and Algeria. These films, which span multiple genres and storytelling styles, include:
- ALL BEFORE YOU by celebrated Palestinian filmmaker Anne-Marie Jacir, a dramatic retelling of the 1936 farmer-led revolt against British colonial rule in Palestine
- TUNIS DJERBA by Tunisian director Amel Guellaty
- TAKE MY BREATH by Nada Mezni Hafaiedh, which has seen unprecedented success in Tunisia with over 70,000 box office admissions
International Sales and Strategic Releases
Ten titles will not only be released in the Arab world but also handled for international sales by MAD World, MAD Solutions’ new film sales division debuting at Cannes. These titles include:
- THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON by Rani Massalha
- THE LAST CITY by Ghassan Salhab
- A BIRD FROM PARADISE by Murad Ben Cheikh
- GIRL OF WIND by Moufida Fedhila
- LA ZONE by Lassaad Dkhili
- THIS IS MY NIGHT by Jafra Younes
- THANK YOU FOR BANKING WITH US by Laila Abbas
- HIDING SADDAM HUSSEIN by Halkawt Mustafa
- DIARIES FROM LEBANON by Myriam El Hajj
- EXILE by Mehdi Hmili
Reunions with Previous Collaborators
Several acquisitions mark reunions with filmmakers who have previously collaborated with MAD Solutions:
- ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA by Tarzan and Arab Nasser
- UNDER ONE’S BREATH by Leyla Bouzid
- THE VANISHING by Karim Moussaoui
- HAPPY LOVERS by Hisham Lasri
Female Directors and Documentaries
Other notable works include:
- SAMIA by Yasemin Şamdereli
- UPSHOT by Maha Haj
- THE LEBANESE BURGER MAFIA by Omar Mouallem
- THE MEMOIRS OF M. A. DRAZ by Maggie Morgan
Award-Winning Titles and Future Prospects
Two Tunisian features that received MAD Distribution Grant awards include:
- THE SEASONS OF JANNET by Mehdi Hmili
- WEAR AND TEAR by Sara Abidi
Additional notable titles include:
- DOUNIA AND THE PRINCESS OF ALEPPO by Marya Zarif and André Kadi
- THE WINDOW by Koutaiba Al-Janabi
- SUDAN, WHEN POEMS FALL APART by Hind Meddeb
- YUNAN by Ameer Fakher Eldin
MAD Solutions: A Pioneer in Arab Cinema
Founded in 2010, MAD Solutions holds a rights library of over 500 titles and is deeply involved in financing, production, packaging, sales, marketing, and releasing Arab entertainment, from festival prize-winners to commercial blockbusters. Headquartered in Cairo, MAD operates in the UAE, Lisbon, and New York, with representatives in Tunisia, Morocco, Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon. Known for innovative marketing strategies and industry-building initiatives, MAD Solutions has established significant platforms such as the Arab Cinema Center and the annual Critics’ Awards for Arab Films, presented during the Cannes Film Festival.
