MAD Solutions Sends Six Films to the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival in USA

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Foreign Body| Kiss Me Not |BONBONÉ | Rupture | One Minute | Separation

MAD Solutions Sends Six Films to the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival in USA


MAD Solutions will be taking part in the 13th Twin Cities Arab Film Festival (27 - 30 September) in the USA with six films from its list of clientele. The MAD films are; Foreign Body by director Raja Amari, Kiss Me Not by director Ahmed Amer, BONBONÉ by director Rakan Mayasi, Rupture by director Yassmina Karajah, One Minute by director Dina Naser, and Separation by Hakar Abdulqader

Established in 2003, the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival has featured debuts of independent narrative and documentary features and short films from more than fifteen countries. The festival seeks to provide Arab American and Arab filmmakers support and exposure to build the local Arab American community. The festival is internationally recognized as a platform for contemporary Arab films and its place in the American experience.

About Kiss Me Not:

Written and directed by Ahmed Amer, Kiss Me Not follows a young and ambitious Egyptian director who faces issues while shooting a kissing scene in his new film with the leading actress Fajr who decides to pursue a more religious path.

The film landed its world premiere at the 14th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) as part of the Arabian Nights programme, in addition to receiving a Special Mention at the 1st Jounieh International Film Festival. Kiss Me Not stars Yasmin Raeis, Mohamed Mahran, Salwa Mohamed Ali and Aida Riad with guest stars actress Sawsan Badr, late director Mohamed Khan and director Khairy Beshara. The film is written and directed by Ahmed Amer and produced by Middlewest Films, WIKA for Film Production and Distribution, and MAD Solutions.

About BONBONÉ:

In less than 16 minutes, BONBONÉ follows a Palestinian inmate serving time in an Israeli jail receives a visit from his wife who devises a bold and crafty operation to fulfill their secret desires.

BONBONÉ landed its world premiere at the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) within the Short Cuts section. Written and directed

by Rakan Mayasi, BONBONÉ stars Saleh Bakri, RanaAlamuddin and features Nadira Omran. BONBONÉ is produced by Groundglass235 in co-production with The Postoffice and Mad4Films, and in association with db Studios. MAD Solutions is responsible for distributing the film across the Arab world and Salaud Morisset is responsible of international sales.

About Foreign Body:

The film follows the first months in France of Samia, a young illegal immigrant who ran away from her brother. Haunted by the fear of being followed by her extremist brother whom she had denounced to the authorities, Samia first finds refuge at Imed's home, a former acquaintance from her village, before ending up working for the rich widow Leila. These new meetings mingle with her headlong flight, where desire enhances tensions.

Foreign Body is written and directed by Raja Amari, and stars Palestinian eminent actress Hiam Abbass, Sarah Hannachi, Salim Kechiouche, and Majd Mastoura. The film is co-produced by Dora Bouchoucha and Dominique Besnéhard. MAD Solutions is responsible for the film's distribution in the Arab world. The film has been selected at many international film festivals including the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), and made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

About Rupture:

Rupture follows the journey of four Arab teens on their quest to find the local public pool in their new Canadian city. The film introduces a cast of first time actors and survivors of war who channel their personal experiences of loss and new beginnings through a fictional narrative. The film stars Asaad Al Arid, Salam Almarzouq, Hussein Al Ahmad and Wazira Al Ahmad.

Rupture is written and directed by Yassmina Karajah, produced by David Findlay, Leen Issa and Virginie Nolin. The film is distributed by MAD Solutions in the Arab world. Rupture made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the Best B.C. Short Film Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) in Canada.

About One Minute:

One Minute is based on the true story of the 2014's Shujaiya Massacre in Gaza. Set in 2014 Gaza, Salma is taking her home as a shelter from the bombing and shooting, trying to protect her daughter, but with a text message she will be informed about her destiny.

One Minute won the Audience Award at the PerSo-Perugia Social Film Festival in Italy, the Best Fiction Short Film by An International Author at the Nazra Palestine Short Film Festival in Italy, and a Special Mention (Short Film Competition) at the 23rd Franco Arab Film Festival in Jordan. The film screened at more than 20 international festivals including the International Film Festival Rotterdam - IFFR, Cairo International Women Film Festival and the Malmo Arab Film Festival in Sweden. The film stars Majd Hijawi, Ruba Hannun and Alia Daoud. One Minute is produced by DocNomads School and written and directed by Dina Naser. MAD Solutions is handling the film's distribution in the Arab world.

About Separation:

After fleeing their town, Shingal in Iraq, which is under siege from Isis, thousands of Yazidi Kurds find themselves without food or water at the top of Shingal Mountain. Faced with no other choice, three men leave to seek sustenance for their families, unaware that an almost safe passage to Kurdistan has been recently opened. The documentary reveals the story of their wives and children who, having reached the refugee camp, remain anxiously awaiting news of their husbands, while at the same time learning to adapt to life in a new setting.

The film landed its world premiere at the Duhok International Film Festival. Written, directed and edited by Hakar Abdulqader, Separation is produced by Duhok Cinema Directorate (Producer Shamal Sabri), supported by the Council of Women's Affairs - Kurdistan Regional Government, and stars Filos Qolo Murad, Suzan Naif Elias, Nadifa Hasso, Barakat Khodeda, Rasho Qasim Khalaf and Hanifa Ali.

Screening Times of MAD Solutions' Films at the 13th Twin Cities Arab Film Festival (GMT -4)

Separation: Friday, 28 September at 03:30 pm
Kiss Me Not: Saturday, 29 September at 07:30 pm
BONBONÉ: Saturday, 29 September at 09:30 pm
Foreign Body: Saturday, 29 September at 09:40 pm
Rupture and One Minute: Sunday, 30 September at 05:30 pm