Four MAD Shorts to compete at the Ibiza Independent Film Festival

release date February 22 2024

Pan-Arab film distribution and sales giant MAD Solutions is sending four short films from its impressive distribution slate to compete in the International Shorts Program of the upcoming Ibiza Independent Film Festival – IbizaCineFest, which is set to take place on the Spanish island from February 23rd to March 3rd.

The MAD shorts lineup includes Faris Alrjoob’s THE RED SEA MAKES ME WANNA CRY, Mohamed Fawi’s BUZZ, Hamza Atifi’s PHONEBREAKER, and Moatasem Taha’s IN THE WAITING ROOM.

The films will be screening and competing as part of the festival’s International Shorts Program at the following showtimes: Wednesday, February 28th at 7 pm; Thursday, February 29th at 5 pm; and Friday, February March 1st at 5 pm. All screening timings follow the Central European Time (CET)/(GMT +1).

First in the MAD Shorts lineup is Faris Alrjoob’s German-Jordanian short THE RED SEA MAKES ME WANNA CRY. Along with touring several international film festivals, the film recently had its Arab World premiere at the El Gouna Film Festival, where it won a Silver Star.

The romantic thriller — which is also one of the two first-ever Jordanian films to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, in the Quinzaine des Cinéastes Section — follows a haunted Ida, who travels to the liminal site of her partner’s disappearance in an attempt to feel his presence one last time and to say goodbye.

Next up is Mohamed Fawi’s Sudanese short BUZZ, which world premiered at the Cairo International Film Festival, and follows the story of a sick mother who watches her son and daughter prepare for her inevitable passing and their new reality as her health deteriorates.

BUZZ screened at the Cairo Short Film, Casablanca Arab, Toronto Arab, New York African, Amman, Bahrain, and Muslim film festivals. It also recently screened at the Arab Digital Expression Foundation and the New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival.

As for Hamza Atifi’s Moroccan short PHONEBREAKER, the film recently won the Jury Prize at the 7th Festival Tasmit Du Cinéma Et De La Critique, as well as a Grand Prize for Best Short Film at the Hoceima Film Festival. It also screened at the National Film Festival in Tangier.

PHONEBREAKER explores the story of Jalil — a washed-up employee who, in order to avenge his mother and clear his neighborhood of the incessant ringing of phones, becomes the ‘Phone Breaker’ and leads a ruthless vendetta against the telecommunications industry.

With its thought-provoking narrative, the film sheds light on the potential dangers of technological dominance and delves into the darker side of hyper-connectivity, challenging the notion that smartphones only bring convenience and exploring the consequences of our increasing reliance on technology.

Last in the lineup is Moatasem Taha's Palestinian short IN THE WAITING ROOM world premiered at Dublin International Film Festival, which follows Hussein — a 30-year-old Palestinian Arab with Israeli citizenship — who escorts his freshly bereaved 70-year-old mother, Rashida, to her medical appointment in an Israeli hospital.

As they wait for their turn, Rashida, who hasn't left her house in three months, tries to socialize with the other patients in her limited Hebrew.