Hany Abu-Assad's The Idol Wins Audience Award at Dubai International Film Festival
Hany Abu-Assad's The Idol Wins Audience Award at Dubai International Film Festival
During the closing ceremony of the 12th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), it was announced that Director Hany Abu-Assad's The Idol has won the Audience Award. Co-produced by Mohamed Hefzy, The Idol was part of the Arabian Sights programme within DIFF, which witnessed intensive activities for Hefzy's Film Clinic and Fortress Film Clinic this year.
On the award, Hefzy commented, "Congrats Hany Abu-Assad for winning one of the most important awards an Arab film could win in my opinion. I am honored to be a part of this film which is a great start for us at Fortress Film Clinic".
The Idol is co-produced by Mohamed Hefzy and Executive Producer Hamed Mokhtar (Chairman of Fortress Film Clinic) in collaboration with producers Ali Jafar and Amira Diab. The film is also produced in collaboration with many production companies including MBC group.
Fortress Film Clinic Award has announced the film project The Bridge (El Kobri) as the winner of Fortress Film Clinic Award at DIFF's Dubai Film Connection (DFC) with 15,000 USD cash prize. The film competed against 11 other film projects for the prize within the Connection. The award was presented by Hefzy and Fortress Capital Investments Managing Partner Hamed Mokhtar.
The Dubai-based Fortress Film Clinic is a partnership between Hefzy's production company Film Clinic and Fortress Capital Investments in Dubai which was first announced during Film Clinic's participation at Cannes Film Festival (May 2015).
This year, Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy was part at DIFF with other two film productions which competed at the Muhr Feature Films Competition; Before the Summer Crowds by Mohamed Khan and The Curve by Riqi Assaf. Both films landed world premieres at the festival and are produced by Film Clinic.
Heralding a promising future for Arab and international co-productions, the two films involved Hefzy with different production partners. Before the Summer Crowds is produced by Hefzy in collaboration with Wael Omar (Middle West Films) and Hani Osama (The Producers). Hefzy also collaborated with Jordanian producer Rula Nasser on the production of The Cruve.
Hefzy was also listed as a guest speaker at the Connection's panel discussion 'How to Find a Producer? (And Why You Really Need One?)', which aims at helping young filmmakers with scripts pitch their film projects and approach producers.
As part of Film Clinic's strategy in supporting the Arab film industry, Hefzy is always keen on taking part in DIFF's various events. His film Microphone previously won the Best Editor - Feature Award in the festival's 6th edition. Film Clinic also presented its own filmmaking award at the Dubai Film Connection for the Best Debut Feature Project. Among the winning projects was I Am Nojoom, Age 10 and Divorced by director Khadija Al-Salami, which later won the Best Muhr Fiction Feature at the festival's 11th edition.
Share on :
