MAD Solutions and Axeer have released the trailer for Between Two Seas by Anas Tolba, the four-time award winning film at international festivals that is set to be released in Egypt on Wednesday, 16 October, followed by other Arab countries.

Less than a month ago, Between Two Seas screened in a special event organized by the UN Women, and the National Council for Women in Zawya Cinema to celebrate the film’s successful launching at festivals. The film is a joint collaboration between National Council for Women, UN Women, Axeer and development partners as part of their belief in the important role that cinema plays in changing negative perceptions towards women in different societies.

Recently, the film took part in the Arhus Arab Film Festival in Denmark, the Arab Film Festival Tübingen in Germany, and won two awards at the Brooklyn Film Festival for Best Narrative Feature and a Certificate of Outstanding Achievement (Screenplay), marking four awards since it won two awards at its world premiere at the Aswan International Women Film Festival (AIWFF): the Nut Award for Best Film that addresses women's issues, and the Best Director award, presented by the Cinema Professions Syndicate.

While on a short visit to her home village, a small rural island near Cairo, Zahra's daughter is exposed to a tragic accident. Following this incident, Zahra persists on getting her daughter's right and insists on not only continuing her education but also benefiting her community. The film sheds light on different societal issues faced by women, especially in rural areas.

Directed by Anas Tolba and written by Mariam Naoum, based on a script by Amany El Tounsy and Karim El Dalil, the film stars Fatma Adel, Yara Goubran, Tharaa Goubail, Mahmoud Fares, Arfa Abdel Rassoul, and Lobna Wanas. The film is produced by Axeer (executive produced by Abdelrahman Al Garwani), the UN Women, and the National Council for Women. MAD Solutions handles the film’s marketing and distribution in the Arab world.

Anas Tolba is an Egyptian filmmaker who started his career in 2010 by co-founding the media production company, Axeer. He directed many music videos for a large number of singers and artists from across the Arab world, including: Zap Tharwat, Hamza Namira, and Cairokee.

In 2013, he directed and produced his first 30-minute documentary, Extracurricular that features a mother who believes in the power of traveling to educate her children. In 2017, he directed his first 15-minute short film, Mariam and The Sun. The film was recognized with Jury Selection Awards in the Accolade Film Competition and the Hollywood Film Festival.

His feature debut, Between Two Seas, sheds light on different societal issues faced by women, especially in rural areas.