Today, Tuesday, July 25, the Toronto International Film Festival has announced that the film Sheikh Jackson by director Amr Salama will have its world premiere at its 42nd edition (September 7-17) as the closing film of the Special Presentations section.

The Special Presentations section, which screens Sheikh Jackson, presents world premieres or Canadian premieres of the year's awaited films, in addition to the most recent films by the world's leading filmmakers. In this section, Sheikh Jackson is competes for the prize of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and the Audience Award. Last year, the Special Presentations section screened Academy Award-winning and nominated films, including: La La Land by Damien Chazelle, Manchester by the Sea by Kenneth Lonergan, The Salesman by Asghar Farhadi, Toni Erdmann by Maren Ade, and Nocturnal Animals by Tom Ford and many others.

After the selection of Sheikh Jackson at the Toronto Film Festival, Producer Mohamed Hefzy said, "Unusual experiences always create zeal for production, and Sheikh Jackson belongs to these types of experiences.I'm so looking forward to the reactions after the film's world premiere."

On the same occasion, Producer Hani Osama stated, "Sheikh Jackson is the first film by The Producers to take part in the Toronto International Film Festival, and the second filmwith director Amr Salama after
Excuse My French. And as usual, Amr fills the film with a great deal of modernity and adventure. The Toronto festival is the film's first step in a journey that we hope to call fruitful."

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?

Co-produced by The Producers, Film Clinic and iProductions with Daniel Ziskind as Associate Producer, 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, and Amina Khalil. The film will also feature several guest stars, including Dorra, Basma, and Mahmoud El-Bezzawy. The German company Media Luna is responsible for distributing the film outside the Arab world.