MAD Solutions is sending three Arab films from its distribution list at the 2nd MONA Film Festival (March 9-11), namely; the feature film Sheikh Jackson by Amr Salama, the documentary Gaza Surf Club by Philip Gnadt and Mickey Yamine and the short Five Boys and a Wheel by Said Zagha.

MONA Film Festival is a new artistic film festival held annually in Antwerp, Belgium. The festival screens special films from the Middle East and North Africa or films related to the region.

About Sheikh Jackson

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 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 marked its European premiere 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 film has been selected to be Egypt's official submission to the Best Foreign-Language Film at the Academy Awards 2018. The film was commercially released in theaters across more than seven Arab countries.

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. 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 Sheikh Jackson's marketing and designed its poster that is used regionally and internationally.

About Gaza Surf Club

Trapped in "the world's largest open-air prison" and ruled by war, a new generation is drawn to the country's coastline. Sick of occupation and political gridlock, they find their own personal freedom in the waves of the Mediterranean - they are the surfers of Gaza.

Directed by Philip Gnadt and Mickey Yamine and co-produced by Stephanie Yamine, Gaza Surf Club is a feature documentary film that stars Sabah Abu Ghanem, Mohammed Abu Jayab and Ibrahim Arafat. MAD Solutions, which is handling the film's distribution in the Arab world, has recently released the film in Kuwaiti theaters.

In 2013, the film project received the Film Prize of the Robert Bosch Stiftung. The film landed its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Gaza Surf Club received a Special Mention at the Days of Cinema in Palestine, was nominated for the Social Justice Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and won the Halekulani Golden Orchid Award at the Hawaii International Film Festival. The film took part in several film festivals, including: the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), Carthage Film Festival (JCC), Arab Cinema Week in New York, Environmental Film Festival in Washington DC, Houston Palestine Film Festival, Tromsø International Film Festival, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), MoMA's International Festival of Nonfiction Film and LIGHTS Film Festival Frankfurt International.

About Five Boys and A Wheel

The Jordanian-Palestinian short film by director Said Zagha is based on American author Raymond Carver's short story 'Bicycles, Muscles, Cigarettes'. Five Boys and A Wheel won the Golden Wahr award at the Oran International Arabic Film Festival in Algeria and the Silver Palm award at the Mexico International Film Festival. The film made its world premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).

The film is set in Jordan where a young father has to help his son out of a petty conflict with the neighbors. As the parents of each respective family are summoned to discuss the issue at hand, the discussions begin to quickly spin out of control, putting the values of the father to test. Five Boys and A Wheel stars Ali Suliman, Nadira Omran and Haydar Kfoof, and is produced by Akram Al-Ashqar, Ahmad Khatib and director Said Zagha. MAD Solutions, which is handling the film's distribution in the Arab world, has recently released the film in Egypt within the Stars in Shorts programme that presents four award-winning Arab short films featuring a number of outstanding stars from across the Arab world.

Screening Times of the Films at the MONA Film Festival (GMT +1)

Sheikh Jackson |Friday,March 9 | 8:00 PM
Gaza Surf Club |Sunday, March 11 | 03:30 PM
Five Boys and a Wheel |Sunday, March 11 | 05:30 PM