Five Films by MAD Solutions at Palestine Cinema Days

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Between Heaven and Earth | The Orphanage | Haifa Street | Give Up the Ghost | Bethlehem

Five Films by MAD Solutions at Palestine Cinema Days


MAD Solutions takes part in the 7th Palestine Cinema Days (October 20 -26) with five films of its distribution list. These films are: the Palestinian Between Heaven and Earth by director Najwa Najjar, the Afghan film The Orphanage by director Shahrbanoo Sadat, Iraqi film Haifa Street by director Mohanad Hayal, the Jordanian short film Give Up the Ghost by director Zain Duraie and the Palestinian short film Bethlehem by director Ibrahim Handal.

Palestine Cinema Days is an annual film event, organized by FilmLab Palestine that aims to take the Palestinian filmmaking industry to the international level and promote local and international films to revive cinema culture in Palestine.

Landing its world premiere at this year’s Palestine Cinema Days, Afghan film The Orphanage has previously competed in a number of international festivals, including Munich International Film Festival and Chicago International Film Festival.

About Between Heaven and Earth:
Based on a true story, the film follows a thirty-something couple, Salma and Tamer, who have been married for the past five years, and living in the Palestinian Territory. The first time Tamer is ever given a three-day permit to cross the Israeli checkpoint is to file for divorce in the courts in Nazareth. At the courthouse, they are confronted with a staggering discovery, a secret which sends Salma and Tamer spinning on a road trip exploring the loss and betrayal of the past, and of themselves.

Written and directed by Palestinian filmmaker Najwa Najjar, the film has won the Naguib Mahfouz Award for Best Screenplay at the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), where it landed its world premiere and screened in the Official Competition, earning wide audience and critical acclaim due to its high artistic quality. It was also screened within the European Film Market at Berlin Film Festival. MAD Solutions handles the film's Arab world distribution.

About Haifa Street:
Set in Baghdad in 2006, Haifa Street is one of the most dangerous places suffering from the civil war and violence that has plagued the city. When Ahmed is dropped off there by a taxi on his way to his beloved Suad's house to ask for her hand in marriage, he gets shot by Salam, an anxious young sniper who is living his own personal hell on a rooftop above. Suad desperately tries to save Ahmed, but Salam prevents anyone from approaching him under the threat of gunfire. When her daughter Nadia elicits the help of their cunning neighbor, Dalal, all hell breaks loose under the ominous presence of the American occupation.

Reaping 8 international awards, Haifa Street is directed by Mohanad Hayal, who co-wrote it with Hala Alsalman, stars Ali Thamer, Asad Abdulmajeed, Yumna Marwan, and Iman Abdulhassan, and produced by Sumerian Dream Productions. Wide Management handles the film's worldwide distribution, while MAD Solutions handles its distribution and marketing across the Arab world.

About Give up the Ghost:
Give up the Ghost tells the story of Salam whose dreams of becoming a mother shatters when she finds out that she is unable to have children with her husband.

The film has won the Vimeo Staff Pick Award at Palm Springs International ShortFest, El Gouna Star for the Best Arab Short Film and the Jury Award at the Indian World Film Festival. Written and directed by Zain Duraie and produced by Tabi360 (Alaa Alasad), the film brings together Maria Zurek and Zaid Bakri in the leading roles and is shot by DOP Benoit Chamaillard. MAD Solutions handles the film's distribution in the Arab world.

About Bethlehem:
A young Palestinian wander between his current reflections and his childhood memories of the military invasion and siege of Bethlehem. He tries to understand how his parents could lead him through those difficult times, hoping that would help him cope with the present time.

Written and directed by Ibrahim Handal, the film stars Muhammad Mughrabi, Yousef AbuShkhaidem, Hind AbuShkhaidem, Tarek Abusalameh and Karam Al-Salaymeh. MAD Solutions handles the film’s distribution in the Arab world.