MAD Solutions Sends Nine Films to the Karama Human Rights Film Festival in Jordan

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El Jaida | Lilacs |The Guest: Aleppo-Istanbul | The Tower | Egyptian Jeanne d'Arc | Detained | Lollipop | The Borrowed Dress| The Journey

MAD Solutions Sends Nine Films to the Karama Human Rights Film Festival in Jordan


Nine films distributed by MAD Solutions are set to take part in the Karama Human Rights Film Festival in Jordan (5 - 10 December). The nine MAD films include the three features: El Jaida by Selma Baccar (the opening film), The Guest: Aleppo-Istanbul by Andaç Haznederoğlu, and The Journey by Mohamed Al-Daradji; the stop-motion animation film The Tower by Mats Grorud; the documentary films Egyptian Jeanne d'Arc by director Iman Kamel and The Borrowed Dress by director Leen Alfaisal; in addition to the short films Lilacs by director Mira Shaib, Detained by Hajar Alnaim, and Lollipop by director Hanaa Saleh Alfassi.

Launched in 2010, the Karama Human Rights Film Festival is held in a number of Arab countries including Lebanon and Libya. With a programme that includes film screenings and year-round human rights events, the festival contributes, among other well-established and renowned festivals in the world, to spreading a human rights cinema that denounces racism, hatred discourse, discrimination and injustice. Aiming to mobilize solidarity and support with the minorities, the festival screens a selection of films from around the world, and holds open discussions to shed light on human rights violations worldwide and the prospects of social change and progress.

About El Jaida:

Directed by Selma Baccar, El Jaida stars Souhir Ben Amara, Mohamed Ali Ben Jemaa, Khaled Houissaand Najoua Zouhair. The film screened at several international film festivals including the Carthage Film Festival (JCC), Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), and the Annaba Mediterranean Film Festival. MAD Solutions is distributing the film across the Arab world.

Set in 1954, four women meet at Dar Joued, a correction facility for women who disobey their husbands. Despite tough daily living conditions, they find hope and joy in their emerging friendship.

About Lilacs:

Lilacs is produced by Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (Germany) and 4th Wall Productions (Jordan) of producer Aya Naboulsi, and supported by Robert Bosch Stiftung (Germany). MAD Solutions is handling the film's distribution through the Arab world.

Lilacs follows the story of Hanna, a melancholic woman who comes to Lebanon after 12 years of absence. She wants to find her twin brother Firas who has been kidnapped during the Lebanese Civil War. The film stars Wafaa Halawi, Faek Hmaisy, and Aliya Khalidi. The film landed its Egyptian premiere at the Aswan International Women Film Festival (AIWFF) within the festival's Official Short Films Competition.

About The Guest: Aleppo-Istanbul:

Written and directed by Turkish director Andaç Haznederoğlu, The Guest: Aleppo-Istanbul stars Saba Mubarak and child Rawan Skeif, alongside a number of real Syrian refugees who are acting for the first time. The Guest: Aleppo-Istanbul is a co-production between the Turkish companies; Andaç Film Productions, Istanbul Digital (ID) and Istanbul Film Production (IFP); and the Jordanian company Pan East Media. The film project has received financial support from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. MAD Solutions distributes the film in the Arab world.

The Guest: Aleppo-Istanbul follows the journey of Lena and Meryem during their escape from the war in Syria. Lena is a ten-year-old girl who has lost her family in the war. She finds herself forced to make her way to Turkey with her baby sister and their neighbor Meryem, along with the other refugees. Lena wants to return home, while Meryem's hope is reach Europe.

About The Tower:

An animation feature film directed and written by Mats Grorud, The Tower features the voices of Romina Adl Kasravi, Mohamed Bakri, Najila Said, and Morad Hassan. The film is a French-Swedish-Norwegian co-production that is distributed in the Arab world by MAD Solutions.

Wardi, an eleven-year-old Palestinian girl, lives with her whole family in the refugee camp where she was born. She learns about her family's history through stories told to her by three earlier generations of refugees.

The film took part in the Cairo International Film Festival, Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France, the Festival du Film Arabe de Fameck in France, Palestine Cinema Days, and Busan International Film Festival.

About The Journey:

Directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji, who co-wrote the film with Isabelle Stead, The Journey stars Zahraa Ghandour and Ameer Jbara. The film is produced by Human Film, Iraqi Independent Film Center (IIFC), in cooperation with Lionceau Films, Iraq Al-Rafidain and Iraqi Media Network. The Journey received grants from the Doha Film Institute, AFAC - The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, World Cinema Fund(WCF), the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'image Animée (CNC) of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Institut Français, Netherlands Film Fund, SANAD Development Fund (Abu Dhabi Film Festival) and Screen Yorkshire. The film is distributed in the Arab world by MAD Solutions.

The film is set in Baghdad in 2006. As Sara stands on the cusp of committing an unthinkable act, an unforeseen and awkward encounter gives her the opportunity to witness the potential consequences of her destructive action. But is this a second chance or an admission of guilt?

About Egyptian Jeanne d'Arc:

The film is directed by Iman Kamel, and co-produced by Nomad's Home Production (Iman Kamel) and Linked Productions (Talal Al-Muhanna). The film marks Iman's second collaboration with Kuwaiti producer Talal Al-Muhanna. MAD Solutions is distributing the film in the Arab world.

The documentary film Egyptian Jeanne d'Arc tells the true stories of resistance by Egyptian women since the outbreak of the revolution in 2011 through mythic story elements, poetic narration and dance.

Egyptian Jeanne d'Arc was nominated for the 2013 Arab-German Film Prize of the Robert Bosch Stiftung Foundation in Germany. The film was presented at pitching and co-production forums such as Africa Produce (Spain), and Amiens Screenplay Development Fund (France).

About Detained:

Directed by Hajar Alnaim, Detained is written by Stephen Martin and Alnaim. The film stars Maria Zreik, Bradley Gregg, Pamela Shaddock, Anthony Batarse, and Khaled Al Maleh. Produced by Abdullah Aljohani and Stephen Martin, MAD Solutions is handling the films distribution across the Arab world.

The film revolves around Lara, a Syrian refugee girl who has fled to the United States to escape the violence in her home country. However, when detained by the US authorities due to her father's alleged terrorist activities, the audience is torn between truth and assumption, as she struggles to prove her innocence.

About Lollipop:

Lollipop is directed by Hanaa Saleh Alfassi and stars Malak Radwan, Ayman Samman, Sarah Alhazmi. It is also produced by Hanaa Saleh Alfassi, Shannon Emigh, Co-founder of Axe Pictures (USA), alongside Alex Lampsos and Malika Frikouk, Executive Producer and Co-founder of the Moroccan branch of the company. The film was partly funded by Enjaaz, Dubai Film Market's production support programme, and is distributed within the Arab world by MAD Solutions.

A 14-year-old Muslim girl experiences the onset of puberty, meaning she must begin wearing a full black niqab. When her tormentor at school swipes her jacket, a case of mistaken identity exposes the perversity of the bully's father.

About The Borrowed Dress:

Written and directed by Leen Alfaisal, her documentary directorial debut, The Borrowed Dress is produced by Sarah Hassan and Alaa Alassad (Creative Media Solutions). The film stars Siham Abu Nabbout, Doaa Al Zoabi and Saad Alkuwatly. The Borrowed Dress is distributed by MAD Solutions in the Arab world.

Grandmother Susu (80 years old), her daughter Doaa (50 years old), and her grandchild Saad (16 years old) are forced to flee Syria after the beginning of the revolution to live in different scattered places, with the one thing left to share being their desire to reunite. The details of their personal stories and human experiences are microcosms of two stories: one of a population that has spread all over the world, and the other of a homeland that might have changed forever.

The Borrowed Dress world premiered at the London International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, where it competed for the Best Foreign Language Documentary, Best Director of a Foreign Language Documentary and the Best Editing of a Short Documentary. The film won the Best Documentary award at the Silk Road International Film Festival (SRIFF).

Screening Times of MAD Films at the Karama Human Rights Film Festival in Jordan (GMT -2)

El Jaida: Wednesday, December 5, at 08:00 pm at the Main Theatre (The Opening Film)
Lilacs: Thursday, December 6, at 05:00 pm at Al Da'ery Theatre and at 03:00 pm at Mesahet Sama
The Guest: Aleppo-Istanbul: Thursday, December 6, at 08:00 pmat the Main Theatre
The Tower: Friday, December 7, at 08:00 pm at the Main Theatre
The Journey: Saturday, December 8, at 12:00 pm at Salt Municipality
Egyptian Jeanne d'Arc: Saturday, December 8, at 06:30 pm at Fakhr Al Nesa' Hall
The Borrowed Dress: Saturday, December 8, at 07:00 pm at Al Da'ery Theatre
Detained: Monday, December 10, at 07:00 pm at Al Da'ery Theatre
Lollipop: Monday, December 10, at 10:00 pm at Al Da'ery Theatre