Part of the new alignment between Fortress Film Clinic and MAD Solutions, the two companies announced the acquisition of the Arab world distribution rights for the Saudi film Barakah Meets Barakah by Director Mahmoud Sabbagh from MPM Film French sales agency. Landing as the first Saudi feature at the 66th Berlinale within the Forum section, Barakah Meets Barakah received the Ecumenical Jury Prize appreciating the film's role in sensitizing viewers to spiritual, human and social values.

Commenting on Fortress Film Clinic's collaboration in distributing the film, producer Mohamed Hefzy stated, "As a Gulf based company, we are very thrilled that our first joint acquisition with MAD Solutions, under our new co-distribution pact, is for a Saudi film which is highly well-received in a major festival like Berlinale."

Film Analyst Alaa Karkouti, CEO of MAD Solutions, commented, "it is a strong surprise to have such a unique film coming from Saudi Arabia which scored great feedback in Berlinale, marking the film's first step on the path to success."

Director Mahmoud Sabbagh also stated, "I am honored to have the film in the hands of Mohamed Hefzy and Alaa Karkouti. Collaborating with both of them has been a dream to be the distributors for our film in the Arab world. I am grateful for their support to the film."
Sabbagh added, "Barakah Meets Barakah is a film for people. Knowing that the audience in the Arab region can now enjoy it on the big screen or through VOD is a very assuring thing."

Produced by El Housh Productions, Barakah Meets Barakah stars Fatima Al Banawi and Hisham Fageeh. In the least appropriate setting for a hilarious, truly wacky romantic comedy, the film tells the story of two characters named Barakah.He is Barakah the municipal civil servant from Jeddah whose origins are humble to say the least; an amateur actor in a theatre company rehearsing a production of Hamlet. She is Barakah a wild beauty, the adopted daughter of a rich couple whose marriage has suffered due to their lack of biological children and functions as a crowd-puller for her stylish adoptive mother's boutique and runs her own boisterous, widely-seen vlog. Fate brings them together in an environment hostile to dating of any kind. But the two of them show breathtaking ingenuity to circumvent the system of tradition, etiquette and religious police with the crucial help of a quirky midwife and a pink push up bra. Barakah Meets Barakah is a film for anyone who's always wanted to know just what else is going on in Saudi Arabia.

The film has been selected for a world premiere at the most daring section of the Berlinale 66th, the Forum section, where it has received a wide acclaim.

Fortress Film Clinic took part in the Berlinale 66th under the umbrella of ACC which is organized by MAD Solutions in collaboration with 26 organizations and companies involved with Arab films.

In its report, Variety magazine highlighted the collaboration between MAD Solutions and Fortress Film Clinic in five film projects within their joint partnership for distributing the film in the Arab world. Three out of five projects have been revealed in thereport: http://goo.gl/w5RZA2

Born in Jeddah, the Saudi director Mahmoud Sabbagh studied documentary filmmaking in New York. Later on, he worked as an independent film director and producer in Saudi Arabia. His filmography includes Story of Hamza Shahata (2013), TV series Cash (2014) and his first feature film Barakah Meets Barakah.