Following its acclaimed festival run and multiple award wins, the dramedy ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA by twin brothers Tarzan and Arab Nasser is set to screen at Zawya Cinema starting April 29th as part of the CineMAD film season.
 
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with actor Majd Eid and producer Rani Massalha.
 
This special screening is part of CineMAD, a pan-Arab film season launched by Cairo-based MAD Solutions to bring critically acclaimed Arab films to cinemas across the region, offering audiences a rare chance to experience festival hits on the big screen.
 
Set in Gaza in 2007, the film follows Yahya, a young student who forms an unlikely friendship with Osama, a charismatic restaurant owner. Together, they begin dealing drugs while delivering falafel sandwiches, only to find themselves entangled with a corrupt cop and his inflated ego.
 
Hailed by The National’s William Mulally as “a powerful ode to Palestinian resilience,” the film offers a fresh and human portrayal of life in Gaza. Speaking about their vision, the Nasser brothers shared: “We want to present an authentic portrait of our city, one that’s free from the stereotypes and exaggerations that have become the accepted global narrative.”
 
The film world premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, where it won the Best Director Award. It has since screened at over 20 international festivals across more than 10 countries, including Warsaw, Thessaloniki, São Paulo, Rome, and Toronto. It also triumphed at the Cairo International Film Festival, winning Best Director, Best Actor for Majd Eid, and Best Arab Feature Film.
 
An international co-production between France, Palestine, Germany, and Portugal, with support from Qatar and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the film features a standout cast including Nader Abd Alhay, Ramzi Maqdisi, and Majd Eid. Directed by the Nasser brothers and co-written with Amer Nasser and Marie Legrand, the film is produced by Rani Massalha and Marie Legrand.