MAD Solutions to screen 13 shorts at 35th Carthage Film Festival

release date December 12 2024

In addition to 12 feature films, MAD Solutions is gearing up for a strong presence at the 35th Carthage Film Festival (December 14th to the 21st) with an impressive selection of 13 short films spanning various genres, from drama to thriller to social comedy. These films come from across the Arab World, including Palestine, Jordan, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, and Mauritania, with the Palestinian short film UPSHOT opening the Tunisian festival.

The MAD lineup features five shorts participating in the Short Narrative Film Competition: Palestine’s IN THE WAITING ROOM, the Algerian-French AFTER THE SUN, Jordan’s WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?, Sudan’s NOTHING HAPPENS AFTER THAT, and Mauritania’s THE FATHER, PROBABLY.

Additionally, the lineup includes THE RED SEA MAKES ME WANNA CRY and THE WOODLAND, both showcased as part of the Focus on Jordan program; as well as BORN A CELEBRITY, LOSS, and DEER’S TOOTH, all featured in Carthage Cine Promises; while the Palestinian short THE POEM WE SANG will screen as part of the Official Short Documentaries; and the Tunisian film FLESH AND BLOOD will screen as part of the Panorama 34 Program.

Read on for a quick glimpse into these captivating shorts :

The Palestinian dramedy short IN THE WAITING ROOM by Moatasem Taha 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.

The French-Algerian AFTER THE SUN by Rayane Mcirdi is set in the evocative setting of the 1980s and follows a young girl who embarks on her first summer journey without her newlywed sister. Amidst the backdrop of a nostalgic family road trip from France to Algeria, she endeavors to reignite the bonds with her heritage, delving into a homeland rich with cherished memories waiting to be rediscovered.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? by Mohammad Gotta follows a young artist in his twenties who abandons his family, refusing to submit to social constraints. Depressed, lonely, and stuck in his small derelict studio flat, he stumbles upon his elderly neighbor, a woman neglected by her family and in need of intimacy. Despite their differences, the two develop an unlikely connection through their shared experiences of hardship and love of music.

NOTHING HAPPENS AFTER THAT by Ibrahim Omar tells the heart-wrenching story of a family, attempting to find a final resting place for their recently deceased and only child, highlighting the cruelty of indifference in times of hardship.

THE FATHER, PROBABLY by Sidi Mohamed Tolba and Tayib Tolb centers around a girl who's involved in a mysterious accident with no witnesses. Her parents handle the situation more casually than she anticipates.

Faris Alrjoob’s romantic thriller THE RED SEA MAKES ME WANNA CRY, by — which is one of the two first-ever Jordanian films to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival — 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.

Firas Al-Taybeh’s drama short THE WOODLAND follows two estranged brothers who find themselves in the untamed wilderness as they journey to bury their father. Reunited in the wake of tragedy after years of tense separation, the two brothers find themselves at a crossroads where they must confront their shared past before making a pivotal decision.

Palestinian director Luay Awwad’s comedy short film BORN A CELEBRITY follows Kamel, a 25-year-old Palestinian, who feels confined in his small Palestinian town and close-knit community and embarks on a journey to discover his personal freedom and privacy.

Rami Al-Kassab’s drama short LOSS is based on true events and follows a group of migrants as they journey into Egypt on the back of a pick-up truck. En route, in the middle of the desert, they crash; resulting in a loss that alters everything.

Saif Hammash’s drama short DEER’S TOOTH centers around a young man from a refugee camp who embarks on a perilous journey in order to fulfill his little brother’s wish: To throw his milk tooth into the sea.

In Annie Sakkab’s Palestinian poem-turned-short film THE POEM WE SANG, a Palestinian director ruminates on the generational trauma caused by the loss of a family home and forced migration, transforming lifelong regrets into a healing journey of creative catharsis and bearing witness.

Inès Arsi’s short FLESH AND BLOOD centers around Donia, a 19-year-old survivor of rape who learns that she is pregnant as a result of the assault committed by her young neighbor. With a singular objective in mind, Donia strives to obtain an abortion before it becomes too late.