MAD Solutions Boasts Four Films at the 1st Doha Palestine Cinema Festival

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3000 Nights | Ayny | Villa Touma | Five Boys and a Wheel

MAD Solutions Boasts Four Films at the 1st Doha Palestine Cinema Festival


MAD Solutions is sending four films to screen at the first edition of the Doha Palestine Cinema Festival (DPCF), which runs from October 10-16. MAD's roster of films include: 3000 Nights by Mai Masri, Villa Touma by Suha Arraf and the shorts Ayny (My Second Eye) by Ahmad Saleh, and Five Boys and a Wheel by Said Zagha. The festival will take place at the Katara Cultural Village.

Founded by a group of film lovers with passion for cinema, DPCF aims to develop a film appreciation society, create common grounds for dialogue between cultures and reinforce the culture of cinema in the community. The festival brings Palestine's finest cinema and narratives to Doha audience with spotlights on Qatar's emerging cinema and filmmakers in collaboration with local and international partners.
About 3000 Nights

Palestinian-Jordanian film 3000 Nights by director Mai Masri won 23 international awards and was Palestine's official submission to the Golden Globe Awards.

3000 Nights is a co-production between Jordan, Palestine, France, UAE, Qatar and Lebanon. MAD Solutions is in charge of the film's distribution in the Arab world. 3000 Nights tells the story of a young Palestinian school teacher who gives birth to her son in an Israeli prison, where she fights to protect him, survive and maintain hope. The film stars Maisa Abdelhadi, Nadira Omran, Raida Adon, Rakeen Saad, Abeer Haddad, Anahid Fayad, Haifa Al Agha, Khitam Edelbi and Hana Chamoun.

Screening Time: Friday, October 12 at 08:00 PM (Qatar Time)

About Ayny (My Second Eye)

Based on true events, Ayny follows two young boys who run away from their mother's protection and slack line on the danger of war to play music with the instrument they always dreamt to own. The film is written, directed, edited and voiced by Ahmad Saleh, music by Nizar Rohana, animated by Frank Pingel, DOP Lionel Poutiaire Somé, produced by Stefan Gieren, and its Arab world distribution is handled by MAD Solutions. The film is a co-production between Germany, Jordan, and Palestine.

Ayny made its world premiere at the 13th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), within its Muhr Short competition. The film won the Best of the Best award at the Zayed University Middle East Film Festival (ZUMEFF) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the Best Third Movie - Film Competition from Outside Iraq at the 2nd Qumrah International Film Festival in Iraq, the Student Academy Award for Best Foreign Animation, and the main award (Amarji Alsumaria) at the 2nd Amarji International Film Festival For Short Films in Al Najaf, Iraq.

Screening Time: Saturday, October 13 at 06:30 PM (Palestine Shortcuts Programme)

About Villa Touma

Directed by Suha Arraf, the film follows a Palestinian Christian family of three women (Violette, Juliette, and Antoinette) who live by being immersed in the past, isolated from Palestinian society enclosed in Villa Touma in Ramallah. Their niece Khadija, who had been raised on an orphanage, comes to live with them and they raise her as befitting an aristocratic family. They teach her French and piano. Violette (the oldest sister) searches for a groom for her as well, so that she doesn't end up a spinster like them.

Villa Touma took part in more than 50 international film festivals. Itstars Nisreen Faour, Ula Tabari, Cherien Dabis, Nicholas Jacob and Maria Zreik, who won the Best Actress award for her role in the film at the MedFilm Festival in Italy. Suha Arraf was listed on Variety Magazine's "Top 10 Screenwriters to Watch" and earned the Best Director award at the Women's International Film and Television Showcase (WIFTS) in Los Angeles. The film received a Special Mention from the Film University and Institute Association at the Venice International Film Festival in 2014, where it had its world premiere, as well as the Church of Iceland award at the Reykjavik International Film Festival in Iceland. The film is distributed in the Arab world by MAD Solutions.

Screening Time: Saturday, October 13 at 08:00 PM

About Five Boys and a Wheel

Starring Ali Suliman, Nadira Omran and Haydar Kfoof, Five Boys and A Wheel is based on American author Raymond Carver's short story 'Bicycles, Muscles, Cigarettes'. The film is set in Jordan, where a young father has to help his son out of a petty conflict with the neighbors. As the parents of each respective family are summoned to discuss the issue at hand, the discussions begin to quickly spin out of control, putting the values of the father to test. Five Boys and A Wheel is directed by Said Zagha.

The film won the Golden Wahr award at the Oran International Arabic Film Festival in Algeria and the Silver Palm award at the Mexico International Film Festival. The film made its world premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). MAD Solutions distributes the film across the Arab world.

Screening Time: Saturday, October 13 at 06:30 PM (Palestine Shortcuts Programme)