MAD Solutions Boasts Three Films at the Beirut International Film Festival

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A Day for Women| Five Boys and A Wheel| Five O'clock

MAD Solutions Boasts Three Films at the Beirut International Film Festival


MAD Solutions sends three films from its distribution list to the Beirut International Film Festival (BIFF) (4 - 12 October). The MAD films are; director Kamla Abouzekri's feature film A Day for Women, which will be competing within the Panorama Competition; director Said Zagha's short film Five Boys and A Wheel, which will be competing within the ME Short Film Competition; and Ayman Al-Shatri's short film Five O'clock, which will be competing within the Public Square Competition.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Beirut International Film Festival (BIFF) aims at presenting the most important Lebanese films, in addition to Arab and international films as well. Over the years, BIFF has hosted many international and Arab names such as Abbas Kiarostami.

About A Day for Women:

A Day for Women takes place in a shabby neighborhood in Egypt where a youth center decides to allocate one day on the swimming pool for women only. The film follows the consequences of this decision on the social, psychological and emotional life of the women living in that neighborhood.

A Day for Women had its world premiere at the 60th BFI London Film Festival, run by the British Film Institute (BFI), within the Debate Strand section. The film competed in the official competition of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), where its star Nahed El Sebai won the Best Actress Award for her role in the film. The film stars Elham Shahin, Nelly Karim and Nahed El Sebai won the Best Actress Award at the Kazan International Muslim Film Festival in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia.

A Day for Women brings together a cast and crew of outstanding women, as it is produced by Elham Shahin, who also stars in the film, through her company Shahin Film, directed by Kamla Abouzekri, written by Hanaa Atiyah, DOP Nancy Abdel Fattah and Costume Designer Inas Shahin. The film stars Nelly Karim, Nahed El Sebai, Hala Sedqi, Ragaa Hussein, Shaimaa Seif, along with Mahmoud Hemida, Farouk Al Fishawy, Ahmad Al Fishawy, Eyad Nassar, and Ahmed Dawood. MAD Solutions handles the film's marketing and promotion in the Arab world.

About Five Boys and A Wheel:

Five Boys and A Wheel 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.

The Jordanian-Palestinian film is directed by director Said Zagha and based on American author Raymond Carver's short story 'Bicycles, Muscles, Cigarettes'. The film made its world premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) in its Muhr Short competition.

The film received support from the Royal Film Commission - Jordan (RFC) and won the Silver Palmaward at the Mexico International Film Festival. Five Boys and A Wheel stars Ali Suliman, Nadira Omran, Haydar Kfoof, and is produced by Akram Al-Ashqar, Ahmad Khatib and director Said Zagha. MAD Solutions is handling the film's distribution across the Arab world.

About Five O'clock:

Five O'clock tells the story of a suicidal man who intends to carry out a terrorist attack by blowing himself in the middle of a crowd using an explosive belt, as he believes that non-Muslims are unworthy of life and they deserve to die. Despite being brainwashed, he begins to think, search and wonder if all idiots really deserve to die, and will he be granted eternal life in paradise after doing so?

Directed by Ayman Al-Shatri, who also co-wrote it with Ameer Ihsan, Five O'clock stars Karam Thamer, Safa Najem, and Karrar Al Mahdi. MAD Solutions is handling the distribution of the film across the Arab world. The film's world premiere was held at the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), where it competed within the Short Muhr Feature competition. Five O'clock took part in the Sudan Independent Film Festival (SIFF(. The film won the Second Award for Iraqi Films at the 2nd edition of the Qumrah International Film Festival in Iraq.

Screening Times of MAD Films at the Metropolis Empire Sofil Theatre (GMT 3+)

A Day for Women: On Saturday, October 8 at 05:30 pm
Five Boys and A Wheel: On Tuesday, October 10 and 05:30 pm and Wednesday, October 11 at 03:30 pm
Five O'clock: On Friday, October 6 at 03:30 pm and Sunday, October 8 at 02:30 pm