A few days before announcing the films shortlisted for the Academy Awards for Best Foreign-Language Film, The Producers, Film Clinic and iProductions are going to release the film Sheikh Jackson by director Amr Salama in theaters in eight Arab countries this month. After its success in the Egyptian box-office, Sheikh Jackson will be released in the UAE, Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Syria and Iraq starting Thursday, December 7th.

The events of the film take us back to June 25, 2009 as the news of Michael Jackson's death took the world by storm affecting many, especially a preacher who is dubbed "Jackson" during his school days. But, what does a preacher have in common with the King of Pop? More importantly, can he now go back to his normal life, or will his memories and relationships with his loved ones raise the most prominent question in his mind? Is he the Sheikh, Jackson, or both?

Sheikh Jackson is written and directed by Amr Salama and co-written by Omar Khaled. The film stars Ahmad Al Fishawy, Maged El Kedwany, Ahmed Malek, along with guest stars Amina Khalil, Dorra, Basma and Mahmoud El Bezawy. Sheikh Jackson is co-produced by The Producers, Film Clinic and iProductions. The German company Media Luna is responsible for distributing the film outside the Arab world, while Cleopatra Entertainment acquired the film's screening rights in North America planning to release it in theaters in the first quarter of 2018. MAD Solutions is handling the Sheikh Jackson's marketing and designed its poster that is used regionally and internationally.

Sheikh Jackson landed its world premiere at the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival within the Special Presentations programme. The film made its Arab world premiere by opening the first edition of El Gouna Film Festival, where it competed in the festival's Feature Narrative Competition, and its European premiere was at the 61st BFI London Film Festival. Sheikh Jackson also screened at the Carthage Film Festival (JCC), Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), within the New Egyptian Cinema 2016-2017 section, and the Arab Cinema Week in New York. The Egyptian Cinema Syndicate selected Sheikh Jackson to be Egypt's official submission to the Academy Awards for Best Foreign-Language Film.