ALAM holds Arab world premiere at CIFF, garners widespread acclaim

release date November 21 2022

Firas Khoury's ALAM held its Arab world premiere at the Cairo International Film Festival's (CIFF) International Competition on Friday, receiving wide critical acclaim after its first screening in the Cairo Opera House's Grand Hall.

The film was praised for its artistic quality and approach, receiving much applause during and after its screening.

ALAM had a full house screening, with public dignitaries, A-list celebrities, critics, and media figures from foreign media outlets flocking to see it.

The film's producer Naomie Lagadec and co-producer Richard Djoudi were also in attendance, along with MAD Solutions' Co-Founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab, Managing Partner Colin Brown, Theatrical Distribution manager Moshira Farouk, Distribution and Sales manager Meriame Deghedi, and Lagoonie Film Production CEO Shahinaz El-Akkad.

Additionally, the Lebanese actress Nour, along with Ahmed Magdy, Rakeen Saad, and Hend Abdelhalim, and prominent Egyptian film critic Tarek El-Shennawy were also among those who attended.

ALAM is scheduled to have two more screenings before the festival's end on the 22nd – one on Saturday, November 19th at 7:30 pm at the Fountain Theater, and another on Sunday, November 20th at 6:00 pm at the Tahrir Cultural Center.

ALAM's next stop is set to be at the 2022 Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) – which is scheduled to run from December 1st to the 10th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – where it will be featured in the Festival Favorites category.

Previously, the film earned widespread worldwide acclaim, with Cineuropa's Laurence Boyce describing Firas Khoury's debut feature as "a fiery and engaging exploration of youth, politicization, and forced forgetting," adding that "the performances are strong, particularly from Bakri in the lead."

Written and directed by Firas Khoury, ALAM stars Mahmood Bakri, Sereen Khass, Saleh Bakri, Mohammad Karaki, Ahmad Zaghmouri, and Muhammad Abed Elrahman.

The film is co-distributed by MAD Solutions and Lagoonie Film Production across the Arab world.

Additionally, the film held its world premiere at the 47th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival's Contemporary World Cinema category.

ALAM follows the story of a Palestinian teenager named Tamer, who – along with his friends – leads a typical teenage life until one day, he is swept off his feet by the arrival of the beautiful Maysaa. As he grows closer to her, Tamer agrees to take part in a mysterious and life-changing operation dubbed 'Alam.'

Previously, Firas Khoury's ALAM received a grant from the Doha Film Institute and a $20,000 script development grant from the Abu Dhabi Film Festival's SANAD Fund.

ALAM was also chosen to participate in the Cinéfondation workshop at Cannes 2017. Moreover, it was featured at the 2019 Venice Gap-Financing Market and received a $10,000 grant from Cairo Film Connection – the CIFF's co-production market – and featured at the Atlas Workshops of the Marrakech International Film Festival.