MAD Solutions Sends Nine Films to the Sudan Independent Film Festival

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Clash| A Day for Women| Barakah Meets Barakah| Hedi| The Parrot| Ayny| Five O'Clock| Submarine | Karouma

MAD Solutions Sends Nine Films to the Sudan Independent Film Festival


Eight films distributed/marketed by MAD Solutions will be part of the 4th Sudan Independent Film Festival (SIFF) (21-27 January) in Sudan. The MAD lineup at the festival includes; Clash, A Day for Women, Barakah Meets Barakah, Hedi, The Parrot, Ayny, Karouma, Five O'Clock and Submarine.
SIFF is organized by Sudan Film Factory institute that serves as an umbrella for a range of activities in the field of filmmaking, filling the current gap in Sudan and supporting a qualified training program to develop the cultural infrastructure of filmmaking.

About Clash:
Directed by Mohamed Diab, Clash has won 13 awards at international festivals. Tackling the political unrest that prevailed in Egypt in 2013, Clash's events take place in an 8-meter police truck, crammed with detainees representing different sects of society, their interaction with each other full of madness, violence, romance, and comedy. Co-written by Khaled Diab and Mohamed Diab, who is also the director, Clash stars Nelly Karim, Tarek Abd El Aziz, Hany Adel, Ahmed Malek, Ashraf Hamdi, Mohamed Abdel Azim, Gamil Barsoum and others.

Clash is a joint production effort between: Film Clinic (Egypt), Sampek Productions (France), and Acamedia Global (UAE), in association with ARTE France Cinema (France), Niko Film (Germany), Fortress Film Clinic (UAE), and Pyramide International (France). Taking part in the project are producers Moez Masoud, Mohamed Hefzy, Eric Lagesse. The film is distributed in Egyptian theatres by MAD Solutions.

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.

The film 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 is handling the film's marketing and promotion in the Arab world.

About Barakh Meets Barakah:
Barakah Meets Barakah tells the story of two lovers who are united in an environment hostile to dating of any kind. He is Barakah, the municipal civil servant from Jeddah, who is also an amateur actor in a theatrical troupe. She is Barakah, a wild beauty, who functions as a crowd-puller for her stylish mother's boutique and runs her own widely-seen vlog. They both defy customs and traditions, as well as the religious police, using modern communication technologies and traditional dating methods.

Produced by El Housh Productions, Barakah Meets Barakah stars Hisham Fageeh, Fatima Al Banawi, Sami Hifny, Abdulmajeed Alruhaidi and Khairia Nazmi. The film is written and directed by Mahmoud Sabbagh. MAD Solutions, alongside Film Clinic-Indie Distribution (FCIFD), has announced the acquisition of the Arab world distribution rights to the Saudi film through the French sales agency MPM Film.

About Hedi:
Having a successful tour in international festivals winning several awards, Hedi is written and directed by Mohamed Ben Attia, and co-produced by Dora Bouchoucha, Nadim Cheikhrouha, along with Belgian producers and directors, the brothers Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne (Two Days, One Night), while the Arab world distribution of the film is handled by MAD Solutions.

The film follows Hedi, a young man who doesn't expect much from the future. While his mother tries to decide his life for him, making arrangements for marrying him off to Khadija, Hedi meets Rym and only two days before his wedding. Captivated by Rym's free-spirit, Hedi finds himself obsessed with his new-born passion and suddenly discovers that his world goes beyond and above conventions. The film stars Majd Mastoura, Rym Ben Messaoud, and Sabah Bouzouita.

About The Parrot:
The Parrot tells the story of a Mizrahi Jewish family, who emigrate from Morocco, trying to settle into their new life in Haifa, Palestine in 1948. Directed by Amjad Al Rasheed and Darin Sallam, the film stars Hend Sabry, Ashraf Barhoum, Yasmine BenAmara, Eyad Hourani, Firas Taybeh, Lara Sawalha, and Ahmad Al-Madani. The film is written by Amjad Al Rasheed, Darin Sallam, and Rifqi Assaf.

The Parrot had its world premiere at the 13th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). The Parrot is one of the film projects funded by the German Robert Bosch Stiftung Foundation, which funds the Best German-Arab film projects. The film that won the Best Short Film award earlier this year is co-produced by the German Foundation and Royal Film Commission-Jordan, and will be distributed in the Arab world by MAD Solutions.

About Ayny:
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 will be handled by MAD Solutions. The film is a co-production between Germany, Jordan, and Palestine. The Student Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Animation Ayny competed in the Muhr Short competition at the 13th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).

About Karouma:
Within its international film festivals' tour that resulted in being part of more than 70 festivals in only 8 months, Algerian director Boubaker Boukhari won several awards for the film which follows Karouma, the unique gifted boy who is striving to break through and to leave his parent's nest to pursue his dreams and live his life in its full potential.

About Five O'Clock:
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 will handle the distribution of the film across the Arab world. Most recently, the film competed in the Muhr Gulf Short competition, part of the 13th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).

The film 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?

About Submarine:
Submarine's director Mounia Akl has won the Special Jury Prize in the Muhr Short competition at the 13th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). Under the imminent threat of Lebanon's garbage crisis, Hala, a wild child inside of a woman is the only one to refuse evacuation, clinging to whatever remains of home.

Produced by Cyril Aris and Jinane Chaaya, and distributed by MAD Solutions in the Arab world, Submarine stars Julian Farhat, Yumna Marwan, and Adel Chahine. Submarine was also awarded the James Bridges production grant.

Screening Times and Locations of the Films at Sudan Independent Film Festival (GMT +3)

Clash
Thursday, 26 January at 7:00 pm - Junayd Cultural Center

A Day for Women
Tuesday, 24 January at 7:00 pm - Junayd Cultural Center
Wednesday, 25 January at 7:00 pm - Coptic Club

Barakah Meets Barakah
Sunday, 22 January at 7:00 pm - Junayd Cultural Center
Monday, 23 January at 7:00 pm - Comboni College

Hedi
Thursday, 26 January at 5:00 pm - Junayd Cultural Center

The Parrot
Sunday, 22 January at 5:00 pm - Junayd Cultural Center
Tuesday, 24 January at 7:00 pm - Turkish Cultural Center

Ayny
Monday, 23 January at 7:00 pm - Junayd Cultural Center

Five O'Clock
Monday, 23 January at 7:00 pm - Junayd Cultural Center

Karouma
Monday, 23 January at 7:00 pm - Junayd Cultural Center

Submarine
Sunday, 22 January at 5:00 pm - Junayd Cultural Center
Tuesday, 24 January at 7:00 pm - Turkish Cultural Center