Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (Gea) has launched a new film fund called Big Time Investment to boost production of quality Arabic movies and announced a slate of Egyptian feature films toplined by a biopic of Egyptian icon Umm Kulthum who is considered the Arab world’s greatest singer.
Prominent Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, whose epic “Kira and El Gen” about local resistance to British occupation, is recent hit, will direct the film titled “El Set.” Egyptian star Mona Zaki will play Kulthum who from the late 1920s onwards became the first prominent Arab singer to disseminate her work to the masses via the new technologies of the times: radio, the phonograph, cinema and television.
The fund was announced in Cairo by Gea chairman Turki Alalshikh who said Gea will serve as the roughly $130 million fund’s primary sponsor with the Ministry of Culture acting as a co-sponsor, according...
Prominent Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, whose epic “Kira and El Gen” about local resistance to British occupation, is recent hit, will direct the film titled “El Set.” Egyptian star Mona Zaki will play Kulthum who from the late 1920s onwards became the first prominent Arab singer to disseminate her work to the masses via the new technologies of the times: radio, the phonograph, cinema and television.
The fund was announced in Cairo by Gea chairman Turki Alalshikh who said Gea will serve as the roughly $130 million fund’s primary sponsor with the Ministry of Culture acting as a co-sponsor, according...
- 2/19/2024
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival has now been postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The festival was previously rescheduled to Oct. 27- Nov. 2 from its original dates of Oct. 13- 20. Organizers announced on Thursday that the fest had been postponed and a new date has not been set. The festival has also donated Le 5 million (Egyptian pounds) to aid “the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
“In light of the deeply distressing circumstances prevailing in Gaza, the management of El Gouna Film Festival has made the conscious decision to postpone the forthcoming sixth edition of the festival,” the statement reads. “A charitable amount of Le 5 Million has been donated to fortify the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in partnership with the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and the Egyptian Red Crescent Society. These measures resonate profoundly with the spirit of solidarity extended by the El...
The festival was previously rescheduled to Oct. 27- Nov. 2 from its original dates of Oct. 13- 20. Organizers announced on Thursday that the fest had been postponed and a new date has not been set. The festival has also donated Le 5 million (Egyptian pounds) to aid “the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
“In light of the deeply distressing circumstances prevailing in Gaza, the management of El Gouna Film Festival has made the conscious decision to postpone the forthcoming sixth edition of the festival,” the statement reads. “A charitable amount of Le 5 Million has been donated to fortify the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in partnership with the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and the Egyptian Red Crescent Society. These measures resonate profoundly with the spirit of solidarity extended by the El...
- 10/19/2023
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival has been rescheduled “in light of the deeply troubling circumstances resulting in the loss of innocent lives” due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In a statement to press on Tuesday, the festival confirmed that it will now take place from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2 instead of its previous dates of Oct. 13 to 20.
“The Gff team remains committed to hosting the festival, using this opportunity to reinforce and amplify our central theme, ‘Cinema for Humanity.’ This theme champions unity and empathy, and we’re dedicated to weaving it throughout all festival activities,” the statement reads. “We firmly believe in the profound power of cinema to unite people, as we also understand the weight of the current situation and the importance of collective reflection. It is crucial that we provide space for healing, understanding, and solidarity to prevail.”
The statement continued, “Our commitment to showcasing the impactful work...
In a statement to press on Tuesday, the festival confirmed that it will now take place from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2 instead of its previous dates of Oct. 13 to 20.
“The Gff team remains committed to hosting the festival, using this opportunity to reinforce and amplify our central theme, ‘Cinema for Humanity.’ This theme champions unity and empathy, and we’re dedicated to weaving it throughout all festival activities,” the statement reads. “We firmly believe in the profound power of cinema to unite people, as we also understand the weight of the current situation and the importance of collective reflection. It is crucial that we provide space for healing, understanding, and solidarity to prevail.”
The statement continued, “Our commitment to showcasing the impactful work...
- 10/10/2023
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Prominent Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, whose epic “Kira and El Gen” about local resistance to British occupation recently scored at the local box office, is being feted with a career award by the El Gouna Film Festival.
The Egyptian fest, running Oct. 13-20 in the Red Sea resort roughly 250 miles south of Cairo, is also paying tribute to the Sudanese Film Group, a groundbreaking collective of filmmakers, and is planning an homage to late great British-French icon Jane Birkin.
Hamed (pictured above) broke out internationally in 2006 with his bold adaptation of Alaa Aswany’s bestselling novel “The Yacoubian Building” that became a game-changer in Egytian cinema due to the way it depicted homosexuality, Islamic fundamentalism and government corruption. After “Yacoubian” become a local hit and travelled widely Hamed scored again big time with “The Blue Elephant,” a thriller with supernatural elements and its sequel “The Blue Elephant 2” that more...
The Egyptian fest, running Oct. 13-20 in the Red Sea resort roughly 250 miles south of Cairo, is also paying tribute to the Sudanese Film Group, a groundbreaking collective of filmmakers, and is planning an homage to late great British-French icon Jane Birkin.
Hamed (pictured above) broke out internationally in 2006 with his bold adaptation of Alaa Aswany’s bestselling novel “The Yacoubian Building” that became a game-changer in Egytian cinema due to the way it depicted homosexuality, Islamic fundamentalism and government corruption. After “Yacoubian” become a local hit and travelled widely Hamed scored again big time with “The Blue Elephant,” a thriller with supernatural elements and its sequel “The Blue Elephant 2” that more...
- 10/6/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
The El Gouna Film Festival (Gff) will honor Egyptian director Marwan Hamed with a life Career Achievement Award at its upcoming sixth edition, running from October 6 to 12.
It marks the first element of the program to be announced as the Egyptian Red Sea festival returns this year following a one year hiatus in 2022.
Hamed studied film at the Higher Institute of Cinema in Cairo. His first short Li Li, adapted from a short story by Yusuf Idris, played at numerous festivals, winning the Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and the Golden Award at the Carthage Film Festival.
He broke out with his 2006 first feature The Yacoubian Building, adapted from Alaa Al-Aswany’s best-selling novel, which captures Egyptian society in the 1990s and the consequences of its extremes of wealth and poverty.
Featuring an ensemble cast, including Egyptian icons Adel Imam, Nour El-Sherif and Yousra alongside then...
It marks the first element of the program to be announced as the Egyptian Red Sea festival returns this year following a one year hiatus in 2022.
Hamed studied film at the Higher Institute of Cinema in Cairo. His first short Li Li, adapted from a short story by Yusuf Idris, played at numerous festivals, winning the Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and the Golden Award at the Carthage Film Festival.
He broke out with his 2006 first feature The Yacoubian Building, adapted from Alaa Al-Aswany’s best-selling novel, which captures Egyptian society in the 1990s and the consequences of its extremes of wealth and poverty.
Featuring an ensemble cast, including Egyptian icons Adel Imam, Nour El-Sherif and Yousra alongside then...
- 7/24/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Cannes, France – 18 May 2023 – In celebration of female voices in film, the Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF) and Vanity Fair Europe hosted the Women's Stories Gala event this evening, shining a light on the achievements of women both on and behind the camera who are helping shape the film industry and inspire a new generation of talent in Saudi Arabia, Africa, and India.
During the event held alongside the 76th Cannes Film Festival at the spectacular Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d'Antibes, the RedSeaIFF and Vanity Fair Europe honoured six women making significant strides, breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations.
They include; Fatima AlBanawi – Saudi actor, director and writer who received international acclaim for her leading role in Barakah Meets Barakah (2016) and broke cinema records with her latest AlHamour (2023). She has played an array of roles ranging from the road-trip thriller Route 10, family drama Champions,...
During the event held alongside the 76th Cannes Film Festival at the spectacular Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d'Antibes, the RedSeaIFF and Vanity Fair Europe honoured six women making significant strides, breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations.
They include; Fatima AlBanawi – Saudi actor, director and writer who received international acclaim for her leading role in Barakah Meets Barakah (2016) and broke cinema records with her latest AlHamour (2023). She has played an array of roles ranging from the road-trip thriller Route 10, family drama Champions,...
- 5/20/2023
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Mad Solutions Launches Mad Crew Celebrity Unit to Represent Arab Directors and Producers (Exclusive)
Prominent Arab talent management agency and film distribution company Mad Solutions is launching Mad Crew Celebrity, a new unit dedicated to boosting the careers of Arab directors and producers, as well as writers, cinematographers, costume designers, composers and editors.
Mad Crew Celebrity comes after the company in 2020 formed its Mad Rising Celebrity division, dedicated to launching up-and-coming film and TV acting talents from across the Arab world, which in turn was a specialized spin-off of its core Mad Celebrity unit for top-tier acting and TV hosting talents.
Their client list at launch includes top directors Hany Abu-Assad (“The Mountain Between Us”), Mohamed Diab (“Moon Knight”), Marwan Hamed (“Blue Elephant”), Ameer Fakher Eldin (“The Stranger”) (pictured), and producer Dora Bouchoucha (“Hedi”) (pictured), to name a few.
Other prominent behind-the-camera talents already on the Mad Crew Celebrity roster include:
– Egyptian showrunner/director/screenwriter Tahmer Mohsen (“Newton’s Cradle”).
– Producer Shahinaz El-Akkad — CEO...
Mad Crew Celebrity comes after the company in 2020 formed its Mad Rising Celebrity division, dedicated to launching up-and-coming film and TV acting talents from across the Arab world, which in turn was a specialized spin-off of its core Mad Celebrity unit for top-tier acting and TV hosting talents.
Their client list at launch includes top directors Hany Abu-Assad (“The Mountain Between Us”), Mohamed Diab (“Moon Knight”), Marwan Hamed (“Blue Elephant”), Ameer Fakher Eldin (“The Stranger”) (pictured), and producer Dora Bouchoucha (“Hedi”) (pictured), to name a few.
Other prominent behind-the-camera talents already on the Mad Crew Celebrity roster include:
– Egyptian showrunner/director/screenwriter Tahmer Mohsen (“Newton’s Cradle”).
– Producer Shahinaz El-Akkad — CEO...
- 12/7/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Egyptian superstar Yousra over the course of a four-decade career has starred in a multitude of Arabic film and TV milestones comprising classic movies such as Youssef Chahine’s “Alexandria: Again and Forever” and Marwan Hamed’s “The Yacoubian Building,” and hit Ramadan series “Public Opinion Case,” which was instrumental in changing Egypt’s rape victim legislation.
But while Yousra has appeared in several co-productions, she recently had the first-time experience of working on the Mbc series “Rose & Layla” with a non-Arabic writer-director duo: British screenwriter Cris Cole, creator of the BAFTA-nominated series “Mad Dogs,” and Adrian Shergold, who directed “Mad Dogs.” “Rose & Layla,” which is produced by Maged Mohsen and Safa Aburizik, will be distributed internationally by veteran Brit exec Stewart Till’s Till Entertainment.
The groundbreaking 10-episode show – which will be launching on Mbc’s Shahid streamer by year’s end – marks another first, pairing Yousra with popular...
But while Yousra has appeared in several co-productions, she recently had the first-time experience of working on the Mbc series “Rose & Layla” with a non-Arabic writer-director duo: British screenwriter Cris Cole, creator of the BAFTA-nominated series “Mad Dogs,” and Adrian Shergold, who directed “Mad Dogs.” “Rose & Layla,” which is produced by Maged Mohsen and Safa Aburizik, will be distributed internationally by veteran Brit exec Stewart Till’s Till Entertainment.
The groundbreaking 10-episode show – which will be launching on Mbc’s Shahid streamer by year’s end – marks another first, pairing Yousra with popular...
- 12/5/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Egypt, which is home to the Middle East and North Africa’s biggest film industry, will not participate in the Best International Film Oscar race this year.
According to Egyptian media reports, confirmed by Deadline, the committee of critics and cinema professionals responsible for selecting the country’s submission decided not to send a film for the lack of a credible candidate.
The four films on the final shortlist comprised Marwan Hamed’s Kira & El Gin, Hadi El-Baghoury’s Full Moon, Sherif Arafa’s The Crime and Magdy Ahmed Ali’s 2 Talaat Harb.
Two films generating potential submission buzz — Nadine Khan’s Abu Saddam and Omar El Zohairy’s Cannes 2021 Critics’ Week winner Feathers — could not be taken into consideration because they did not meet the 2022 theatrical release requirements.
The decision for Egypt to opt out of the race was made at the end of September, but the news has...
According to Egyptian media reports, confirmed by Deadline, the committee of critics and cinema professionals responsible for selecting the country’s submission decided not to send a film for the lack of a credible candidate.
The four films on the final shortlist comprised Marwan Hamed’s Kira & El Gin, Hadi El-Baghoury’s Full Moon, Sherif Arafa’s The Crime and Magdy Ahmed Ali’s 2 Talaat Harb.
Two films generating potential submission buzz — Nadine Khan’s Abu Saddam and Omar El Zohairy’s Cannes 2021 Critics’ Week winner Feathers — could not be taken into consideration because they did not meet the 2022 theatrical release requirements.
The decision for Egypt to opt out of the race was made at the end of September, but the news has...
- 10/4/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Levan Koguashvili’s Brighton 4th has scooped up the Best Film prize at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Red Sea Film Festival. The title is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards international feature category this year.
Elsewhere in the festival’s Yusr Awards, Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s title Rupture was the winner for Best Saudi Film while Egyptian title You Resemble Me from director Dina Amer won the Audience Award.
Meanwhile, the jury prize was awarded to Iranian helmer Panah Panahi’s family road trip effort Hit The Road, which also won the Red Sea’s best cinematic contribution award. That title premiered in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight earlier this year. Murad Abu Eisheh’s Tala’Vision nabbed the Best Short award while Haider Rashid won Best Director for his title Europa.
The festival’s selection included 16 features, 18 short films and 21 virtual reality experiences in a celebration of innovative films...
Elsewhere in the festival’s Yusr Awards, Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s title Rupture was the winner for Best Saudi Film while Egyptian title You Resemble Me from director Dina Amer won the Audience Award.
Meanwhile, the jury prize was awarded to Iranian helmer Panah Panahi’s family road trip effort Hit The Road, which also won the Red Sea’s best cinematic contribution award. That title premiered in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight earlier this year. Murad Abu Eisheh’s Tala’Vision nabbed the Best Short award while Haider Rashid won Best Director for his title Europa.
The festival’s selection included 16 features, 18 short films and 21 virtual reality experiences in a celebration of innovative films...
- 12/14/2021
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Levan Koguashvili’s “Brighton 4th” has won best film at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Red Sea Film Festival, while Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s “Rupture” won best Saudi film.
“Brighton 4th” is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards’ international feature category.
Haider Rashid won best director for “Europa” and Adam Ali won best actor for his role in the film. Arawinda Kirana won best actress for her performance in Kamila Andini’s “Yuni,” which is Indonesia’s entry in the Oscars’ international category.
This year’s jury included: president of the Red Sea features competition, Academy Award-winning Italian director and writer Giuseppe Tornatore; Tunisian actor Hend Sabry; Palestinian-American director, writer, actor, and producer Cherien Dabis; Mexican festival director and founder of the Morelia International Film Festival Daniela Michel; and Saudi film director Abdulaziz Alshlahei. The Red Sea shorts competition jury was headed by Egyptian director Marwan Hamed and joined by...
“Brighton 4th” is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards’ international feature category.
Haider Rashid won best director for “Europa” and Adam Ali won best actor for his role in the film. Arawinda Kirana won best actress for her performance in Kamila Andini’s “Yuni,” which is Indonesia’s entry in the Oscars’ international category.
This year’s jury included: president of the Red Sea features competition, Academy Award-winning Italian director and writer Giuseppe Tornatore; Tunisian actor Hend Sabry; Palestinian-American director, writer, actor, and producer Cherien Dabis; Mexican festival director and founder of the Morelia International Film Festival Daniela Michel; and Saudi film director Abdulaziz Alshlahei. The Red Sea shorts competition jury was headed by Egyptian director Marwan Hamed and joined by...
- 12/13/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Jury
Italy’s Giuseppe Tornatore, director of the Oscar, BAFTA and Cannes winning film “Cinema Paradiso,” will preside over the features competition jury at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival (Dec. 6-15). Tornatore’s latest documentary, “Ennio,” about revered composer Ennio Morricone, which bowed at Venice, will have its Arab premiere at the festival out-of-competition in the International Spectacular strand.
Joining Tornatore on the jury are Tunisian actor Hend Sabry (“The Blue Elephant 2”) Palestinian-American director, writer, actor and producer Cherien Dabis (“Amreeka”), Morelia International Film Festival director Daniela Michel and Saudi filmmaker Abdulaziz Alshlahei (“Zero Distance”).
The Red Sea shorts competition jury will be led by Egypt’s Marwan Hamed, director of Tribeca winner “The Yacoubian Building”) who will be joined by Saudi Arabian actor and director Ahd Kamel (“Wadjda”) and Finnish-Somali director and writer Khadar Ayderus (“The Gravedigger’s Wife”).
Trailer
Universal Pictures has released a trailer for “Redeeming Love,...
Italy’s Giuseppe Tornatore, director of the Oscar, BAFTA and Cannes winning film “Cinema Paradiso,” will preside over the features competition jury at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival (Dec. 6-15). Tornatore’s latest documentary, “Ennio,” about revered composer Ennio Morricone, which bowed at Venice, will have its Arab premiere at the festival out-of-competition in the International Spectacular strand.
Joining Tornatore on the jury are Tunisian actor Hend Sabry (“The Blue Elephant 2”) Palestinian-American director, writer, actor and producer Cherien Dabis (“Amreeka”), Morelia International Film Festival director Daniela Michel and Saudi filmmaker Abdulaziz Alshlahei (“Zero Distance”).
The Red Sea shorts competition jury will be led by Egypt’s Marwan Hamed, director of Tribeca winner “The Yacoubian Building”) who will be joined by Saudi Arabian actor and director Ahd Kamel (“Wadjda”) and Finnish-Somali director and writer Khadar Ayderus (“The Gravedigger’s Wife”).
Trailer
Universal Pictures has released a trailer for “Redeeming Love,...
- 11/24/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
‘Squid Game’ Director, ‘Minari’ Actress & BTS On Cj’s Visionary Award List
South Korea’s Cj Enm Entertainment has announced the winners of its 2021 Visionary awards, which recognize the year’s forerunners in the entertainment industry. There are six winners this year, which marks the second edition of the awards. They are: Minari actress Youn Yuh-jung, who won the Supporting Actress Oscar this year; Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk; TV personality Yu Jae-seok; Cj Enm producer Choi Jung-nam, who has credits including Street Woman Fighter; the band BTS; and the music group Aespa. “2021 is a year where K-culture has advanced in terms of influence and prestige thanks to K-content’s achievements in the global market across all genres including film, drama and music,” said Si Yeon-jae, General Manager, Cj Enm Marketing Strategy. “In a time when the persistence of the pandemic brought major changes in how content is created and consumed,...
South Korea’s Cj Enm Entertainment has announced the winners of its 2021 Visionary awards, which recognize the year’s forerunners in the entertainment industry. There are six winners this year, which marks the second edition of the awards. They are: Minari actress Youn Yuh-jung, who won the Supporting Actress Oscar this year; Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk; TV personality Yu Jae-seok; Cj Enm producer Choi Jung-nam, who has credits including Street Woman Fighter; the band BTS; and the music group Aespa. “2021 is a year where K-culture has advanced in terms of influence and prestige thanks to K-content’s achievements in the global market across all genres including film, drama and music,” said Si Yeon-jae, General Manager, Cj Enm Marketing Strategy. “In a time when the persistence of the pandemic brought major changes in how content is created and consumed,...
- 11/24/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Three years after the first movie theater reopened in Saudi Arabia – following removal of a religion-related ban – the kingdom has become the top theatrical market in the Middle East and is turning into a major driver for Arabic film production.
“At the moment Saudi is on a different path from the rest of the world,” says David Hancock, an analyst at London-based Omdia, which sees this new market as having the potential to be ranked among the top 10-15 territories for box office worldwide by 2024.
By 2024 Omdia estimates there will be 1,400 screens in Saudi Arabia, up from a current count of less than 300 screens in 2020 with more than 600 screens expected in 2021. In 2020 Saudi box office was up 3% to $115 million, bucking the downward trend in the rest of the world.
But besides growing box office and screen count, just like in other parts of the world such as China where there is moviegoing growth,...
“At the moment Saudi is on a different path from the rest of the world,” says David Hancock, an analyst at London-based Omdia, which sees this new market as having the potential to be ranked among the top 10-15 territories for box office worldwide by 2024.
By 2024 Omdia estimates there will be 1,400 screens in Saudi Arabia, up from a current count of less than 300 screens in 2020 with more than 600 screens expected in 2021. In 2020 Saudi box office was up 3% to $115 million, bucking the downward trend in the rest of the world.
But besides growing box office and screen count, just like in other parts of the world such as China where there is moviegoing growth,...
- 3/4/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Egyptian filmmaker Marwan Hamed, the director of “The Yacoubian Building,” “The Blue Elephant” and “The Blue Elephant 2,” which last year became the highest-grossing Egyptian film in history, is shooting “Kira and El Gen,” based on Ahmed Mourad’s book “1919,” about Egyptian resistance to British occupation. He spoke to Variety about the project at the Cairo Film Festival.
Produced by Ahmed Badawy, managing director of Tamer Morsi’s Synergy Films, the budget is north of $10 million, making it the most expensive film in Egyptian cinema history. The film stars some of the biggest names in Arab cinema, including Karim Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Ezz, Hind Sabri and Ahmad Malek. British actor Sam Hazeldine also appears.
Hamed says that the opening of cinemas in Saudi Arabia with its sizeable box-office potential has created a landscape where Arab financiers can plan for better returns on films. “What actually encouraged such an investment...
Produced by Ahmed Badawy, managing director of Tamer Morsi’s Synergy Films, the budget is north of $10 million, making it the most expensive film in Egyptian cinema history. The film stars some of the biggest names in Arab cinema, including Karim Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Ezz, Hind Sabri and Ahmad Malek. British actor Sam Hazeldine also appears.
Hamed says that the opening of cinemas in Saudi Arabia with its sizeable box-office potential has created a landscape where Arab financiers can plan for better returns on films. “What actually encouraged such an investment...
- 12/6/2020
- by Kaleem Aftab
- Variety Film + TV
Cairo-based film marketing and distribution outfit Mad Solutions is launching Mad Rising Celebrity, a new unit dedicated to launching up-and-coming film and TV acting talents from across the Arab world.
The new Mad Solutions subsidiary has recruited a rich roster of rising Arab actors comprising Saudi Arabia’s Fatima AlBanawi (pictured) – who starred in groundbreaking Saudi comedy “Barakah Meets Barakah,” and more recently landed a small role in new Netflix Arabic original “Paranormal” – and Tunisian thesp Farès Landoulsi, featured in Netflix drama “Messiah,” among other rising celebrities.
“Nobody has been working on new Arab talents,” noted Mad Solutions co-founder Alaa Karkouti, speaking to Variety. He added that besides filling the gap by representing actors the new unit also intends to start handling up-and-coming Arab directors, writers, producers and cinematographers.
Karkouti also noted that Mad Solutions – which has long been active as an Arab world film distributor and has been branching...
The new Mad Solutions subsidiary has recruited a rich roster of rising Arab actors comprising Saudi Arabia’s Fatima AlBanawi (pictured) – who starred in groundbreaking Saudi comedy “Barakah Meets Barakah,” and more recently landed a small role in new Netflix Arabic original “Paranormal” – and Tunisian thesp Farès Landoulsi, featured in Netflix drama “Messiah,” among other rising celebrities.
“Nobody has been working on new Arab talents,” noted Mad Solutions co-founder Alaa Karkouti, speaking to Variety. He added that besides filling the gap by representing actors the new unit also intends to start handling up-and-coming Arab directors, writers, producers and cinematographers.
Karkouti also noted that Mad Solutions – which has long been active as an Arab world film distributor and has been branching...
- 11/16/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
A psychiatrist for the criminally insane, Dr. Yehia Rashed (Karim Abdel Aziz), is called out of early retirement, where he vanished after his exertions in the original The Blue Elephant (2014), to deal with a young murderess who appears to have supernatural powers. In Blue Elephant: Dark Whispers (El Feel-el Azra’a 2), director Marwan Hamed (who made his name internationally with his acclaimed first film The Yacoubian Building) turns a basically schlocky horror tale into a wild fantasy ride that benefits from more CGI than Egyptian movies have ever seen and a mesmerizing star turn by Hend Sabry as ...
A psychiatrist for the criminally insane, Dr. Yehia Rashed (Karim Abdel Aziz), is called out of early retirement, where he vanished after his exertions in the original The Blue Elephant (2014), to deal with a young murderess who appears to have supernatural powers. In Blue Elephant: Dark Whispers (El Feel-el Azra’a 2), director Marwan Hamed (who made his name internationally with his acclaimed first film The Yacoubian Building) turns a basically schlocky horror tale into a wild fantasy ride that benefits from more CGI than Egyptian movies have ever seen and a mesmerizing star turn by Hend Sabry as ...
‘You Will Die at Twenty’, ‘Talking About Trees’ and ‘Exam’ Win Golden Stars, and ‘Cinema for Humanity’ Award Goes to Ladj Ly’s Les MisérablesEl Gouna Film Festival concluded its third edition with a closing ceremony where the award-winning films were announced, with total award value at Us$224,000.
The winners were as follows.
Watch the Awards on Euronews here.
Feature Narrative Competition
El Gouna Golden Star for Narrative Film: You Will Die at Twenty by Amjad Abu Alala. See my review.
El Gouna Silver Star for Narrative Film: Corpus Christi by Jan Komasa
El Gouna Bronze Star for Narrative Film: Adam by Maryam Touzani. See my review.
El Gouna Star for the Best Arab Narrative Film: Papicha by Mounia Meddour
El Gouna Star for the Best Actor: Bartosz Bielenia, Corpus Christi
El Gouna Star for the Best Actress: Hend Sabry, Noura’s Dream
The gritty, Tunisian film tells the story...
The winners were as follows.
Watch the Awards on Euronews here.
Feature Narrative Competition
El Gouna Golden Star for Narrative Film: You Will Die at Twenty by Amjad Abu Alala. See my review.
El Gouna Silver Star for Narrative Film: Corpus Christi by Jan Komasa
El Gouna Bronze Star for Narrative Film: Adam by Maryam Touzani. See my review.
El Gouna Star for the Best Arab Narrative Film: Papicha by Mounia Meddour
El Gouna Star for the Best Actor: Bartosz Bielenia, Corpus Christi
El Gouna Star for the Best Actress: Hend Sabry, Noura’s Dream
The gritty, Tunisian film tells the story...
- 10/5/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Cairo-based Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, who is at the Venice Film Festival as a member of the jury for debut films, is having a good year.
“The Blue Elephant 2,” a thriller with horror elements in which she stars – directed by Marwan Hamed who cast her more than a decade ago in “The Yacoubian Building” – recently became Egypt’s all-time top box office earner. And right after Venice, she is heading to Toronto to promote first-time Tunisian director Hinde Boujemaa’s “Noura Dreams,” a drama about a woman who dreams of divorcing her husband who is about to be released from jail.
Sabry spoke to Variety about how the Arab film industry is changing and the ongoing role that women are playing in its transformation.
What’s changing in the Arab film industry? Is Netflix, which recently announced it’s first Egyptian original titled “Paranormal,” impacting the landscape?
The arrival...
“The Blue Elephant 2,” a thriller with horror elements in which she stars – directed by Marwan Hamed who cast her more than a decade ago in “The Yacoubian Building” – recently became Egypt’s all-time top box office earner. And right after Venice, she is heading to Toronto to promote first-time Tunisian director Hinde Boujemaa’s “Noura Dreams,” a drama about a woman who dreams of divorcing her husband who is about to be released from jail.
Sabry spoke to Variety about how the Arab film industry is changing and the ongoing role that women are playing in its transformation.
What’s changing in the Arab film industry? Is Netflix, which recently announced it’s first Egyptian original titled “Paranormal,” impacting the landscape?
The arrival...
- 9/6/2019
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Seven of the world’s foremost festivals dedicated to, or with strong traditions of highlighting genre cinema, have banded together to form the Fantastic 7, an initiative which sees each bring one project to be pitched at the Cannes Film Market.
The seven festivals include: Sitges Intl. Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia – which initiated the idea along with the Cannes Market; Bucheon Intl. Fantastic Film Festival, Cairo Intl. Film Festival, Guadalajara Intl. Film Festival (Ficg), International Film Festival & Awards – Macao; South by Southwest and the Toronto Intl. Film Festival (Tiff).
Cannes Film Market executive director Jérôme Paillard, Sitges deputy general manager Mónica Garcia Massagué, and Ventana Sur and Blood Window founder Bernardo Bergeret initialized and head the program.
In addition to the project pitches, Spanish director J.A. Bayona will godfather the event. Bayona has a memorable relationship with the Cannes Festival. In 2007 he premiered his now classic debut feature “The Orphanage” at Critics’ Week.
The seven festivals include: Sitges Intl. Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia – which initiated the idea along with the Cannes Market; Bucheon Intl. Fantastic Film Festival, Cairo Intl. Film Festival, Guadalajara Intl. Film Festival (Ficg), International Film Festival & Awards – Macao; South by Southwest and the Toronto Intl. Film Festival (Tiff).
Cannes Film Market executive director Jérôme Paillard, Sitges deputy general manager Mónica Garcia Massagué, and Ventana Sur and Blood Window founder Bernardo Bergeret initialized and head the program.
In addition to the project pitches, Spanish director J.A. Bayona will godfather the event. Bayona has a memorable relationship with the Cannes Festival. In 2007 he premiered his now classic debut feature “The Orphanage” at Critics’ Week.
- 5/8/2019
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
One of the most prominent names in Egyptian cinema, Marwan Hamed rose to fame thanks to his acclaimed directorial debut, <em>The Yacoubian Building.</em> Based on the much-loved novel by Alaa Al Aswany about the colorful residents of a Cairo apartment block, the 2006 drama is still considered the Egyptian film with the highest budget ever, but would also become one of the country's most successful productions.
Eight years later, Hamed turned his attention to another best-selling novel, Ahmed Mourad's thriller <em>The Blue Elephant. </em>The film became another local blockbuster and dominated the 2014 edition ...
Eight years later, Hamed turned his attention to another best-selling novel, Ahmed Mourad's thriller <em>The Blue Elephant. </em>The film became another local blockbuster and dominated the 2014 edition ...
- 4/30/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
One of the most prominent names in Egyptian cinema, Marwan Hamed rose to fame thanks to his acclaimed directorial debut, The Yacoubian Building. Based on the much-loved novel by Alaa Al Aswany about the colorful residents of a Cairo apartment block, the 2006 drama is still considered the Egyptian film with the highest budget ever, but would also become one of the country's most successful productions.
Eight years later, Hamed turned his attention to another best-selling novel, Ahmed Mourad's thriller The Blue Elephant. The film became another local blockbuster and dominated the 2014 edition of the Egyptian Film Association Festival, with nine wins (including...
Eight years later, Hamed turned his attention to another best-selling novel, Ahmed Mourad's thriller The Blue Elephant. The film became another local blockbuster and dominated the 2014 edition of the Egyptian Film Association Festival, with nine wins (including...
- 4/27/2018
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wild Bunch and Le Pacte are joining forces on Egyptian-Austrian director A.B. Shawky’s drama “Yomeddine,” the sole feature debut set to world premiere in competition at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.
Wild Bunch has taken international sales on the feature, while Le Pacte has acquired French distribution rights. Both deals were done before “Yomeddine” was selected to compete at Cannes.
“Yomeddine,” produced by Dina Emam at Egypt’s Desert Highway Pictures and co-produced by Mohamed Hefzy and Daniel Ziskind at Cairo-based production company Film Clinic (“Clash”), is an adventure-filled drama about a Christian Egyptian leper, Beshay, who lives in an aging leper colony in the middle of nowhere. After the death of wife, he bravely decides to leave the colony for the first time since he was abandoned there as a child, and embarks on a journey across Egypt to his hometown to find out why his father never kept his promise to return.
Wild Bunch has taken international sales on the feature, while Le Pacte has acquired French distribution rights. Both deals were done before “Yomeddine” was selected to compete at Cannes.
“Yomeddine,” produced by Dina Emam at Egypt’s Desert Highway Pictures and co-produced by Mohamed Hefzy and Daniel Ziskind at Cairo-based production company Film Clinic (“Clash”), is an adventure-filled drama about a Christian Egyptian leper, Beshay, who lives in an aging leper colony in the middle of nowhere. After the death of wife, he bravely decides to leave the colony for the first time since he was abandoned there as a child, and embarks on a journey across Egypt to his hometown to find out why his father never kept his promise to return.
- 4/17/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Marwan Hamed is a famous Egyptian director. He made his directing debut with a short film that was titled “Li Li.” It was after this that he directed his fist major film, “The Yacoubian Building,” which was an adaptation of the Alaa Al Aswany novel, which firmly established him in the industry. The name is not familiar to many people in the United States, unless you’re in the film industry or a lover of foreign films. To bring you up to speed on this remarkable Egyptian celebrity, here are five things that you didn’t know about him. He is a
Five Things You Didn’t Know About Marwan Hamed...
Five Things You Didn’t Know About Marwan Hamed...
- 12/22/2017
- by Dana Hanson-Firestone
- TVovermind.com
This year, Fantastic Fest turned 13, a number that felt apt if you’ve been following the news. Most conversations started like this:
“How are you?”
“How are you?”
Exhale. Hug. Repeat.
Eventually, people got around to talking about the films. Even those were emotional.
Tortured Souls
In past years, bringing context into the Alamo Drafthouse theater meant deciding not to chomp chips and queso during a hushed thriller. This time, audiences welled up watching Carla Guigino confront a lifetime of abuse as the emotionally and physically handcuffed wife in Stephen King’s “Gerald’s Game,” a Lifetime movie-looking low budget adaptation whose blockbuster impact at the Fest might not translate to people at home when it premieres on Netflix. (Guigino, however, is terrific in a dual-of-sorts role as the manacled victim and her empowered subconscious.)
Read More:Fantastic Fest Under Fire: Why America’s Preeminent Genre Festival Needs Its Fans...
“How are you?”
“How are you?”
Exhale. Hug. Repeat.
Eventually, people got around to talking about the films. Even those were emotional.
Tortured Souls
In past years, bringing context into the Alamo Drafthouse theater meant deciding not to chomp chips and queso during a hushed thriller. This time, audiences welled up watching Carla Guigino confront a lifetime of abuse as the emotionally and physically handcuffed wife in Stephen King’s “Gerald’s Game,” a Lifetime movie-looking low budget adaptation whose blockbuster impact at the Fest might not translate to people at home when it premieres on Netflix. (Guigino, however, is terrific in a dual-of-sorts role as the manacled victim and her empowered subconscious.)
Read More:Fantastic Fest Under Fire: Why America’s Preeminent Genre Festival Needs Its Fans...
- 9/29/2017
- by Amy Nicholson
- Indiewire
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri will open festival that runs September 21-28 in Austin, Texas.
Fantastic Fest 2017 has announced its initial line-up of films. This year’s opening night film is the Us premiere of Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (pictured).
Among this year’s initial titles are the Us premieres of S Craig Zahler’s Brawl In Cell Block 99, starring Vince Vaughn, Don Johnson and Udo Kier, Yorgos Lanthimos’ horror film The Killing Of A Sacred Deer, and Takashi Miike’s Blade Of The Immortal.
Fantastic Fest will include cinema from the Middle East including Egypt’s rarely seen Rocky Horror Picture Show adaptation Anyab and the international premiere of Marwan Hamed’s The Originals.
“It’s truly a joy to be able to showcase a variety of Arabic genre films never before seen in the Us to shatter preconceptions.” Fantastic Fest creative director Evrim Ersoy said. “Cinema from this...
Fantastic Fest 2017 has announced its initial line-up of films. This year’s opening night film is the Us premiere of Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (pictured).
Among this year’s initial titles are the Us premieres of S Craig Zahler’s Brawl In Cell Block 99, starring Vince Vaughn, Don Johnson and Udo Kier, Yorgos Lanthimos’ horror film The Killing Of A Sacred Deer, and Takashi Miike’s Blade Of The Immortal.
Fantastic Fest will include cinema from the Middle East including Egypt’s rarely seen Rocky Horror Picture Show adaptation Anyab and the international premiere of Marwan Hamed’s The Originals.
“It’s truly a joy to be able to showcase a variety of Arabic genre films never before seen in the Us to shatter preconceptions.” Fantastic Fest creative director Evrim Ersoy said. “Cinema from this...
- 8/8/2017
- ScreenDaily
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri will open festival that runs September 21-28 in Austin, Texas.
Fantastic Fest 2017 has announced its initial line-up of films. This year’s opening night film is the Us premiere of Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Among this year’s initial titles are the Us premieres of S Craig Zahler’s Brawl In Cell Block 99, starring Vince Vaughn, Don Johnson and Udo Kier, Yorgos Lanthimos’ horror film The Killing Of A Sacred Deer, and Takashi Miike’s Blade Of The Immortal.
Fantastic Fest will include cinema from the Middle East including Egypt’s rarely seen Rocky Horror Picture Show adaptation Anyab and the international premiere of Marwan Hamed’s The Originals.
“It’s truly a joy to be able to showcase a variety of Arabic genre films never before seen in the Us to shatter preconceptions.” Fantastic Fest creative director Evrim Ersoy said. “Cinema from this...
Fantastic Fest 2017 has announced its initial line-up of films. This year’s opening night film is the Us premiere of Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Among this year’s initial titles are the Us premieres of S Craig Zahler’s Brawl In Cell Block 99, starring Vince Vaughn, Don Johnson and Udo Kier, Yorgos Lanthimos’ horror film The Killing Of A Sacred Deer, and Takashi Miike’s Blade Of The Immortal.
Fantastic Fest will include cinema from the Middle East including Egypt’s rarely seen Rocky Horror Picture Show adaptation Anyab and the international premiere of Marwan Hamed’s The Originals.
“It’s truly a joy to be able to showcase a variety of Arabic genre films never before seen in the Us to shatter preconceptions.” Fantastic Fest creative director Evrim Ersoy said. “Cinema from this...
- 8/8/2017
- ScreenDaily
Fantastic Fest 2017 Announces Lineup, Including ‘Gerald’s Game’ and Plans for Nationwide Programming
Few film festivals happily brand themselves as the nexus of chaos and carnage, but Austin’s genre-driven Fantastic Fest proved itself as a very different kind of festival long ago. This year’s lineup speaks to that same impulse, as its 13th edition features a range of provocative films and a timely theme that aims to bring truly diverse cinema to genre fans nationwide.
This year, that audience will be larger than ever. For fans of Fantastic Fest’s sensibilities who can’t make it to the annual festival, the festival has a few new options: Alamo Drafthouse locations in San Francisco, Brooklyn, and Denver will feature an exclusive slate of 2017 Fantastic Fest titles over the weekend of September 29.
Read More‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’: Martin McDonagh’s Latest Lands Awards-Friendly Release Date
This year’s Fantastic Fest will open with the U.S. premiere of Martin McDonagh’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing,...
This year, that audience will be larger than ever. For fans of Fantastic Fest’s sensibilities who can’t make it to the annual festival, the festival has a few new options: Alamo Drafthouse locations in San Francisco, Brooklyn, and Denver will feature an exclusive slate of 2017 Fantastic Fest titles over the weekend of September 29.
Read More‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’: Martin McDonagh’s Latest Lands Awards-Friendly Release Date
This year’s Fantastic Fest will open with the U.S. premiere of Martin McDonagh’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing,...
- 8/8/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Screen investigates which films from around the world could launch on the Croisette, including on opening night.
With just over a month to go before the line-up for this year’s Cannes Film Festival is unveiled in Paris, Croisette predictions and wish lists are hitting the web thick and fast.
Screen’s network of correspondents and contributors around the world have been putting out feelers to get a sense of what might or might not make it to the Palais du Cinéma or one of the parallel sections.
Just like the Oscars, this year’s festival is likely to unfold amid a politically-charged atmosphere. Beyond Trump and the rise of populism across the globe, France will be digesting the result of its own presidential election on May 7. Against this background, the festival will be feting its 70th edition.
Below, Screen reveals which titles might - and might not - be in the running for a place at the...
With just over a month to go before the line-up for this year’s Cannes Film Festival is unveiled in Paris, Croisette predictions and wish lists are hitting the web thick and fast.
Screen’s network of correspondents and contributors around the world have been putting out feelers to get a sense of what might or might not make it to the Palais du Cinéma or one of the parallel sections.
Just like the Oscars, this year’s festival is likely to unfold amid a politically-charged atmosphere. Beyond Trump and the rise of populism across the globe, France will be digesting the result of its own presidential election on May 7. Against this background, the festival will be feting its 70th edition.
Below, Screen reveals which titles might - and might not - be in the running for a place at the...
- 3/13/2017
- ScreenDaily
Event will focus on sustainable film production in the Arab world.
Cairo-based pan-Arab distributor and films promotions outfit Mad Solutions will launch a new development and production financing incubator, the Arab Cinema Lab at the upcoming Dubai Film Market in December.
Around 10 upcoming films will be showcased at the inaugural edition on December 12, including The Originals, the latest film from Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, best known for his 2006 The Yacoubian Building, and Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi’s Writing On Snow.
La-based Saudi director Aymen Khoja will also preview his upcoming soccer-themed work Shoot, produced under his Khoja Bros production banner and billed as the “first Saudi American film”.
An Egyptian James Bond-style feature — provisionally entitled Man Of The Impossible — will also be unveiled.
Mad Solutions co-founder and CEO Alaa Karkouti explained the aim of the event was to unveil productions that will be “the talk of the Arab cinema world next year”, source finance and stimulate discussion...
Cairo-based pan-Arab distributor and films promotions outfit Mad Solutions will launch a new development and production financing incubator, the Arab Cinema Lab at the upcoming Dubai Film Market in December.
Around 10 upcoming films will be showcased at the inaugural edition on December 12, including The Originals, the latest film from Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, best known for his 2006 The Yacoubian Building, and Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi’s Writing On Snow.
La-based Saudi director Aymen Khoja will also preview his upcoming soccer-themed work Shoot, produced under his Khoja Bros production banner and billed as the “first Saudi American film”.
An Egyptian James Bond-style feature — provisionally entitled Man Of The Impossible — will also be unveiled.
Mad Solutions co-founder and CEO Alaa Karkouti explained the aim of the event was to unveil productions that will be “the talk of the Arab cinema world next year”, source finance and stimulate discussion...
- 11/21/2016
- ScreenDaily
Paris-based industry veteran, who also works with actor Amr Waked, deepens ties with Egypt.
Paris-based producer Daniel Ziskind has signed to act as the European representative of Egyptian Mohamed Hefzy’s Cairo-based production house Film Clinic.
Under the accord, Ziskind will support Film Clinic’s co-production and sales activities in Europe.
“I’m very happy to join the Film Clinic family,” Ziskind said. “The company has a great line-up and strategy.”
First feature
The first project under the collaboration will be Mohamed Diab’s drama Clash, his second film after the much-praised Cairo 678 tackling sexual harassment through the experiences of women on a bus.
Set against the backdrop of violent demonstrations that erupted at the end of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s Islamist reign in summer of 2013, Clash revolves around two groups of opposing protestors who find themselves trapped in the same police van as fighting rages around them.
“It’s a timely...
Paris-based producer Daniel Ziskind has signed to act as the European representative of Egyptian Mohamed Hefzy’s Cairo-based production house Film Clinic.
Under the accord, Ziskind will support Film Clinic’s co-production and sales activities in Europe.
“I’m very happy to join the Film Clinic family,” Ziskind said. “The company has a great line-up and strategy.”
First feature
The first project under the collaboration will be Mohamed Diab’s drama Clash, his second film after the much-praised Cairo 678 tackling sexual harassment through the experiences of women on a bus.
Set against the backdrop of violent demonstrations that erupted at the end of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s Islamist reign in summer of 2013, Clash revolves around two groups of opposing protestors who find themselves trapped in the same police van as fighting rages around them.
“It’s a timely...
- 4/9/2015
- ScreenDaily
Irrfan Khan, Christina Voros and Catherine Dussart to preside over feature competition juries; seven world premieres of Arab films in feature competitions.
Abu Dhabi Film Festival (Oct 23-Nov 1) has released the names of its jury members, who will select the award winners of this year’s Adff competitions.
This year’s Narrative Features jury led by Mumbai-based actor Irrfan Khan (The Lunchbox, Life of Pi) will be rounded out by Algerian novelist and academic Waciny Laredj, award-winning English writer-director Steven Shainberg, Australian film director Cate Shortland and Palestinian actor Ali Suliman.
The panel evaluating the New Horizons section led by Paris-based film producer Catherine Dussart (The Missing Picture) includes Syrian actor Bassel Al Khayat, Moroccan filmmaker Leila Kilani, Geneva-based Indian filmmaker Anup Singh and film critic Charles Tesson, artistic director of Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival.
Heading the Documentary Features jury is Brooklyn-based director and cinematographer Christina Voros. The other jury...
Abu Dhabi Film Festival (Oct 23-Nov 1) has released the names of its jury members, who will select the award winners of this year’s Adff competitions.
This year’s Narrative Features jury led by Mumbai-based actor Irrfan Khan (The Lunchbox, Life of Pi) will be rounded out by Algerian novelist and academic Waciny Laredj, award-winning English writer-director Steven Shainberg, Australian film director Cate Shortland and Palestinian actor Ali Suliman.
The panel evaluating the New Horizons section led by Paris-based film producer Catherine Dussart (The Missing Picture) includes Syrian actor Bassel Al Khayat, Moroccan filmmaker Leila Kilani, Geneva-based Indian filmmaker Anup Singh and film critic Charles Tesson, artistic director of Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival.
Heading the Documentary Features jury is Brooklyn-based director and cinematographer Christina Voros. The other jury...
- 10/20/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
In a region where the media biz is often more noted for being polarized, the atrocious actions that have brought Isis global attention have unified the vast majority of decent moral Arabs across sectarian and political divides against the exceptionally brutal terror group.
President Obama and dozens of countries are rushing an emergency plan to eradicate Isis on the ground, and the world is getting to know this organization because of the horrific beheadings of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and last night’s atrocity against married British aid worker and father of two David Cawthorne Haines. The Arab world, however, was already all too aware of the group’s murderous tactics, as thousands of Arab civilians have been killed in recent months in Syria and Iraq.
Isis has created an unprecedented amount of upheaval that has manifested itself in different ways. Journalists who cover the region have...
President Obama and dozens of countries are rushing an emergency plan to eradicate Isis on the ground, and the world is getting to know this organization because of the horrific beheadings of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and last night’s atrocity against married British aid worker and father of two David Cawthorne Haines. The Arab world, however, was already all too aware of the group’s murderous tactics, as thousands of Arab civilians have been killed in recent months in Syria and Iraq.
Isis has created an unprecedented amount of upheaval that has manifested itself in different ways. Journalists who cover the region have...
- 9/14/2014
- by Ali Jaafar, Special To Deadline
- Deadline
Exclusive: Former Buf executive in Cannes with trio of films.
Alexis Perrin, a former executive at respected Paris-based special effects company Buf, is launching his new development and production company Rumble Fish in Cannes.
The company screens Jean-Luc Herbulot’s Paris-set thriller Dealer in the market today.
The film shot over two weeks on a budget of just $175,000 (€125,000) in one of the capital’s tough outer city neighbourhoods, the film is already generating considerable interest among Us buyers.
It revolves around a drug dealer whose attempts to exit the narcotic trade backfire. Actor Dan Bronchinson stars in and produced the film.
Herbulot says the film is the first in a trilogy of intertwined stories featuring the same assortment of Paris underbelly characters.
“The press who have seen the trailer are describing it as the French Pusher but it’s not exactly that, although I am flattered by the comparison… it’s got a different aesthetic,” commented director...
Alexis Perrin, a former executive at respected Paris-based special effects company Buf, is launching his new development and production company Rumble Fish in Cannes.
The company screens Jean-Luc Herbulot’s Paris-set thriller Dealer in the market today.
The film shot over two weeks on a budget of just $175,000 (€125,000) in one of the capital’s tough outer city neighbourhoods, the film is already generating considerable interest among Us buyers.
It revolves around a drug dealer whose attempts to exit the narcotic trade backfire. Actor Dan Bronchinson stars in and produced the film.
Herbulot says the film is the first in a trilogy of intertwined stories featuring the same assortment of Paris underbelly characters.
“The press who have seen the trailer are describing it as the French Pusher but it’s not exactly that, although I am flattered by the comparison… it’s got a different aesthetic,” commented director...
- 5/20/2014
- ScreenDaily
The 17th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (Iffk) has announced its lineup. The festival will run from 7th to 14th December, 2012 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Some of the highlights of the lineup are festival favourites of the year Amour, Chitrangada, Samhita, The Sapphires, Drapchi, Miss Lovely, Me and You, Celluloid Man, and Baandhon.
Fourteen films will screen in the Competition section while seven contemporary films will be screened in “Indian Cinema Now” section.
Complete list of films:
Competition Films
Fourteen feature films from Asia, Africa and Latin America will compete for the coveted “Suvarna Chakoram” (Golden Crow Pheasant) and other awards.
Always Brando by Ridha Behi (Tunisia)
Inheritors of the Earth by T V Chandran (India)
A Terminal Trust by by Masayuki Suo (Japan)
Shutter by Joy Mathew (India)
Today by Alain Gomis (Senegal-France)
The Repentant by Merzak Allouache (Algeria)
Sta. Niña by Manny Palo (Philippines)
Present Tense...
Some of the highlights of the lineup are festival favourites of the year Amour, Chitrangada, Samhita, The Sapphires, Drapchi, Miss Lovely, Me and You, Celluloid Man, and Baandhon.
Fourteen films will screen in the Competition section while seven contemporary films will be screened in “Indian Cinema Now” section.
Complete list of films:
Competition Films
Fourteen feature films from Asia, Africa and Latin America will compete for the coveted “Suvarna Chakoram” (Golden Crow Pheasant) and other awards.
Always Brando by Ridha Behi (Tunisia)
Inheritors of the Earth by T V Chandran (India)
A Terminal Trust by by Masayuki Suo (Japan)
Shutter by Joy Mathew (India)
Today by Alain Gomis (Senegal-France)
The Repentant by Merzak Allouache (Algeria)
Sta. Niña by Manny Palo (Philippines)
Present Tense...
- 11/2/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
“The regime used to suffocate you in a lot of ways, but these past few weeks have awakened something that was dormant in a lot of Egyptian people. It’s going to be harder for any government to put that out.” That’s a quote from Marwan Hamed, a Cairo-based filmmaker who spoke with The L.A. Times’ Steve Zeitchik on the heels of a massive revolution in Egypt that saw a de factor dictator out of office and the spectre of democracy on the horizon. The country has a long way to go, but it’s not far out of bounds to expect Egyptian filmmakers to start utilizing the freedom of speech and creative freedom that’s suddenly sprouted from Tahrir Square. So what do you do when you move from having your voice stifled to being able to sing? It’s unclear, but the possibilities are overwhelmingly exciting. The...
- 2/15/2011
- by Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Filmmakers Mira Nair, Danny Boyle, Elia Suleiman and R.J. Cutler and industry execs Lynette Howell, Ken Kamins and Cassian Elwes will be among those participating in film talks and panels at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival.
Dtff, a partnership between Tribeca Enterprises and Qatar Museums Authority, runs from Oct. 29-Nov.1 in Doha, Qatar.
The Doha Talks line-up includes a master class with director Danny Boyle; a panel on the new wave of Arab filmmakers, “The New Arab Way”; and two Q&A sessions hosted by fest exec director Amanda Palmer with Mira Nair and Elia Suleiman.
Three “Industry Conversations” will explore the business of entertainment, tackling the topics of documentary filmmaking, film finance, and production and distribution in the global marketplace. Participants will include Kamins, who was involved in the financing of “The Lord of the Rings”; film agent and financier Elwes; and Howell, producer of “Half Nelson” and “Phoebe in Wonderland.
Dtff, a partnership between Tribeca Enterprises and Qatar Museums Authority, runs from Oct. 29-Nov.1 in Doha, Qatar.
The Doha Talks line-up includes a master class with director Danny Boyle; a panel on the new wave of Arab filmmakers, “The New Arab Way”; and two Q&A sessions hosted by fest exec director Amanda Palmer with Mira Nair and Elia Suleiman.
Three “Industry Conversations” will explore the business of entertainment, tackling the topics of documentary filmmaking, film finance, and production and distribution in the global marketplace. Participants will include Kamins, who was involved in the financing of “The Lord of the Rings”; film agent and financier Elwes; and Howell, producer of “Half Nelson” and “Phoebe in Wonderland.
- 10/19/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sales continue to be made, but deals are being negotiated down. It's a buyers market. What sold at AFM and was signed for $75,000 is being driven down by fire sales of similar films of competitors to $60,000 and buyers are not hesitating to try to renegotiate similar prices. One Brazilian who had signed a $200,000 deal wanted to renegotiate to half the price or not pay at all. In one day, one seller lost $350,000 of committed money, leaving her far short of the $1,000,000 goal in a day's sales. That, in turn, leaves the filmmaker without recoupment of the film's budget. It was a tough day midpoint, and sellers don't want to tell for fear of causing further negative outcomes. Stay positive is the keyword to this quiet Berlin market. We'll see less traffic in Cannes unless things turn around. There remains a need for good films, the young are eagerly seeking to make them. Digital is in the air on all sides, but the brick and mortar sales agents have not, for the most part, factored it into the already prepared mix for 2009, though Celluloid Dreams has created The Auteurs, a curated digital packaging of festival films. One seasoned individual is planning a new sort or sales company, which is not for me to discuss further. New countries are emerging - Turkey with its gentle and Tiger Award winning The Wrong Rosary and Egypt where Marwan Hamed, the director of The Yacoubian Buidling is making his next film are two of the most interesting countries at the moment.
- 2/10/2009
- Sydney's Buzz
- As committees from each individual country select their respective submissions for the Best Foreign Picture Academy Award derby, folks like myself have the arduous task of trying to keep score. Without a doubt the early favorite is Germanyâ.s selection which has already picked up seven German Film Awards this year. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's directorial debut takes place in East Berlin, November 1984. Five years before its downfall, the former East-German government ensured its claim to power with a ruthless system of control and surveillance. Party-loyalist Captain Gerd Wiesler hopes to boost his career when given the job of collecting evidence against the playwright Georg Dreyman and his girlfriend, the celebrated theater actress Christa-Maria Sieland. Sony Pictures Classics will release The Lives of Others early next year, though it could be challenged for the Foreign Oscar category by another Spc pic â. Pedroâ.s Volver. Also let
- 10/20/2006
- IONCINEMA.com
CANNES -- Cinema from the Arab world will be spotlighted at this year's Stockholm Film Festival, which will run Nov. 16-26. Coming after the international uproar over the Mohammed caricatures printed in Denmark and Sweden, the move is sure to be read as an olive branch to the Muslim film world. Three films already have been selected for the Arabica screenings: The Yacoubian Building, from Egyptian director Marwan Hamed; the Algerian drama Barakat! (Enough!), from Djamila Sahraoui; and Heaven's Doors, from Moroccan brothers Imad and Swel Noury.
- 5/23/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CANNES -- Cinema from the Arab world will be spotlighted at this year's Stockholm Film Festival, which will run Nov. 16-26. Coming after the international uproar over the Mohammed caricatures printed in Denmark and Sweden, the move is sure to be read as an olive branch to the Muslim film world. Three films already have been selected for the Arabica screenings: The Yacoubian Building, from Egyptian director Marwan Hamed; the Algerian drama Barakat! (Enough!), from Djamila Sahraoui; and Heaven's Doors, from Moroccan brothers Imad and Swel Noury.
- 5/23/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- Here are the winners as announced by the festival. The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature â. Blessed By Fire (Iluminados por el Fuego), Directed by Tristán Bauer, Argentina, Spain. Presented by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal with Dick Walsh. Winner receives $25,000. Art award "Twin City Theatre", created by Wim Wenders. Jury compromised Ed Burns, Terry George, Josh Lucas, Kelly Lynch, Antonio Skármeta, Trudie Styler and Melvin Van Peebles. Best Documentary Feature â. War Tapes, Directed by Deborah Scranton, USA. Presented by Ken Burns and Ira Yohalem. Winner receives $15,000. Art award "Untitled", created by Alex Katz. Jury compromised Ken Burns, Robert Drew, Whoopi Goldberg, Oren Jacoby, Rory Kennedy and Marc Levin. Special Documentary Jury Prize - Voices of Bam, Directed by Aliona van der Horst and Maasja Ooms, Netherlands. Presented by Ken Burns and Ira Yohalem. Winner receives $10,000. Art award "Moroccoâ., created by Clifford Ross. Jury compromised Ken Burns,
- 5/8/2006
- IONCINEMA.com
Screened at the Berlin International Film Festival
BERLIN -- "The Yacoubian Building" is a sprawling, boisterous, at times unruly movie that tracks the up- and down-turns of Egyptian society over the years through the tenants of a decaying downtown Cairo residence. The best-selling novel by Alaa Al Aswany and now the film version offer a revealing window into the secular world of a modern Islamic country -- its indulgence in alcohol, sexual promiscuity, political corruption and personal betrayals. From such "deformities," the movie argues, Islamic fundamentalism gains its most passionate adherents.
Certain to be a must-see at festivals, the film revels in a glorious melodrama that could help it reach a much wider audience. With a reported budget of $6 million, its producer, the Good News Group, clearly entertains such ambitions. The film boasts an astonishingly accomplished feature debut by promising young director Marwan Hamed. But he might need to cut the 165-minute running time for the film to live up to those ambitions.
The Yacoubian Building, originally built by an Armenian, housed wealthy Pashas, foreign dignitaries and even a few Jews in its heyday. But post-World War II, the building hosts a cross-section of society as impoverished workers and families occupy the rooftop and now mingle with the nouveau riche, decadent thrill-seekers and bitter ex-Pashas in the crumbling apartments.
Poverty fuels most subplots. The son of an ex-Pasha (veteran Egyptian actor Adel Imam) no longer enjoys wealth so he surrenders his dignity in pursuit of silly sexual dalliances, thus irrevocably alienating his sister. A young and poor security officer is seduced by a homosexual editor into moving his family nearby so he can be on call for his sexual services.
A porter's son, who suffers humiliations over lack of money and a young girl's rejection, turns to radical Islam. That young woman sacrifices her honor in a scheme to trick an employer. A former shoe-shiner, who now owns blocks of real estate, hungers for political power but it comes at a cost. A widow enters into a degrading second marriage to this man in the interests of financial security.
Writer-producer Waheed Hamed (who also is the director's father) treats the novel with too much reverence. His script indulges in much minutia and repetitive action. But the acting is strong, and his son's control of story, characters and visual imagery makes this an engrossing, highly watchable old-fashioned melodrama.
BERLIN -- "The Yacoubian Building" is a sprawling, boisterous, at times unruly movie that tracks the up- and down-turns of Egyptian society over the years through the tenants of a decaying downtown Cairo residence. The best-selling novel by Alaa Al Aswany and now the film version offer a revealing window into the secular world of a modern Islamic country -- its indulgence in alcohol, sexual promiscuity, political corruption and personal betrayals. From such "deformities," the movie argues, Islamic fundamentalism gains its most passionate adherents.
Certain to be a must-see at festivals, the film revels in a glorious melodrama that could help it reach a much wider audience. With a reported budget of $6 million, its producer, the Good News Group, clearly entertains such ambitions. The film boasts an astonishingly accomplished feature debut by promising young director Marwan Hamed. But he might need to cut the 165-minute running time for the film to live up to those ambitions.
The Yacoubian Building, originally built by an Armenian, housed wealthy Pashas, foreign dignitaries and even a few Jews in its heyday. But post-World War II, the building hosts a cross-section of society as impoverished workers and families occupy the rooftop and now mingle with the nouveau riche, decadent thrill-seekers and bitter ex-Pashas in the crumbling apartments.
Poverty fuels most subplots. The son of an ex-Pasha (veteran Egyptian actor Adel Imam) no longer enjoys wealth so he surrenders his dignity in pursuit of silly sexual dalliances, thus irrevocably alienating his sister. A young and poor security officer is seduced by a homosexual editor into moving his family nearby so he can be on call for his sexual services.
A porter's son, who suffers humiliations over lack of money and a young girl's rejection, turns to radical Islam. That young woman sacrifices her honor in a scheme to trick an employer. A former shoe-shiner, who now owns blocks of real estate, hungers for political power but it comes at a cost. A widow enters into a degrading second marriage to this man in the interests of financial security.
Writer-producer Waheed Hamed (who also is the director's father) treats the novel with too much reverence. His script indulges in much minutia and repetitive action. But the acting is strong, and his son's control of story, characters and visual imagery makes this an engrossing, highly watchable old-fashioned melodrama.
- 2/14/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Screened at the Berlin International Film Festival
BERLIN -- "The Yacoubian Building" is a sprawling, boisterous, at times unruly movie that tracks the up- and down-turns of Egyptian society over the years through the tenants of a decaying downtown Cairo residence. The best-selling novel by Alaa Al Aswany and now the film version offer a revealing window into the secular world of a modern Islamic country -- its indulgence in alcohol, sexual promiscuity, political corruption and personal betrayals. From such "deformities," the movie argues, Islamic fundamentalism gains its most passionate adherents.
Certain to be a "must-see" at festivals, the film revels in a glorious melodrama that could help it reach a much wider audience. With a reported budget of $6 million, its producer, the Good News Group, clearly entertains such ambitions. The film boasts an astonishingly accomplished feature debut by promising young director Marwan Hamed. But he may need to cut the 165-minute running time for the film to live up to those ambitions.
The Yacoubian Building, originally built by an Armenian, housed wealthy Pashas, foreign dignitaries and even a few Jews in its heyday. But post-World War II, the building hosts a cross-section of society as impoverished workers and families occupy the rooftop and now mingle with the nouveau riche, decadent thrill-seekers and bitter ex-Pashas in the crumbling apartments.
Poverty fuels most subplots. The son of an ex-Pasha (veteran Egyptian actor Adel Imam) no longer enjoys wealth so he surrenders his dignity in pursuit of silly sexual dalliances, thus irrevocably alienating his sister. A young and poor security officer is seduced by a homosexual editor into moving his family nearby so he can be on-call for his sexual services.
A porter's son, who suffers humiliations over lack of money and a young girl's rejection, turns to radical Islam. That young woman sacrifices her honor in a scheme to trick an employer. A former shoe-shiner, who now owns blocks of real estate, hungers for political power but it comes at a cost. A widow enters into a degrading second marriage to this man in the interests of financial security.
Writer-producer Waheed Hamed (who is also the director's father) treats novel with too much reverence. His script indulges in much minutia and repetitive action. But the acting is strong and his son's control of story, characters and visual imagery makes this an engrossing, highly watchable old-fashioned melodrama.
BERLIN -- "The Yacoubian Building" is a sprawling, boisterous, at times unruly movie that tracks the up- and down-turns of Egyptian society over the years through the tenants of a decaying downtown Cairo residence. The best-selling novel by Alaa Al Aswany and now the film version offer a revealing window into the secular world of a modern Islamic country -- its indulgence in alcohol, sexual promiscuity, political corruption and personal betrayals. From such "deformities," the movie argues, Islamic fundamentalism gains its most passionate adherents.
Certain to be a "must-see" at festivals, the film revels in a glorious melodrama that could help it reach a much wider audience. With a reported budget of $6 million, its producer, the Good News Group, clearly entertains such ambitions. The film boasts an astonishingly accomplished feature debut by promising young director Marwan Hamed. But he may need to cut the 165-minute running time for the film to live up to those ambitions.
The Yacoubian Building, originally built by an Armenian, housed wealthy Pashas, foreign dignitaries and even a few Jews in its heyday. But post-World War II, the building hosts a cross-section of society as impoverished workers and families occupy the rooftop and now mingle with the nouveau riche, decadent thrill-seekers and bitter ex-Pashas in the crumbling apartments.
Poverty fuels most subplots. The son of an ex-Pasha (veteran Egyptian actor Adel Imam) no longer enjoys wealth so he surrenders his dignity in pursuit of silly sexual dalliances, thus irrevocably alienating his sister. A young and poor security officer is seduced by a homosexual editor into moving his family nearby so he can be on-call for his sexual services.
A porter's son, who suffers humiliations over lack of money and a young girl's rejection, turns to radical Islam. That young woman sacrifices her honor in a scheme to trick an employer. A former shoe-shiner, who now owns blocks of real estate, hungers for political power but it comes at a cost. A widow enters into a degrading second marriage to this man in the interests of financial security.
Writer-producer Waheed Hamed (who is also the director's father) treats novel with too much reverence. His script indulges in much minutia and repetitive action. But the acting is strong and his son's control of story, characters and visual imagery makes this an engrossing, highly watchable old-fashioned melodrama.
- 2/12/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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