YELLOW BUS earns rapturous applause at CineMAS Film Festival ahead of its release in UAE’s cinemas

release date June 09 2024

YELLOW BUS, starring Kinda Alloush and Bollywood Indian star Tannishtha Chatterjee, received a rapturous reception at the CineMAS Independent Film Festival in Abu Dhabi, where the film's Q&A session with director Wendy Bednarz and producer Nadia Eliewat on May 26th attracted a full house of engaged and enthusiastic attendees.

Hailing it as one of the best films produced in the UAE, the audience was deeply moved by the emotional and powerful storytelling of YELLOW BUS, which explores themes of grief, forgiveness, and cross-cultural experiences. Moreover, they were captivated by the nuanced and empathetic portrayal of Kinda and Tanishtha, who formed an incredible onscreen duo.

This overwhelming response to the film at CineMAS is a testament to its artistic excellence and ability to touch the hearts of audiences, solidifying its place as one of the most emotionally resonant and impactful works to come out of the region in recent years.

Painting a world that highlights the textures of the desert landscape and the diversity of its people, YELLOW BUS centers around a mother's journey to grieve the loss of her child and her quest for forgiveness while exploring themes of alienation and connection and reflecting on the experiences of individuals living in a multicultural environment.

In the scorching heat of the Arabian Gulf, the daughter of an Indian family is accidentally left behind on a school bus, leading to her tragic death. As each family member reacts differently to the situation, the mother, shattered by grief, refuses to settle until she uncovers the truth about what happened to her daughter and ensures that those responsible are held accountable for their negligence. Will she ultimately succeed in her quest and find solace in accepting the accident?

YELLOW BUS — which is OSN's first original feature, played in Saudi cinemas and will soon get its theatrical release across cinemas in UAE — won the prestigious Global Vision Award (Jury Award for Best Feature Film) at the Cinquest Film & Creativity Film Festival. Before that, the film snagged the top prize at South Africa’s Joburg Film Festival, marking its first award in a festival tour that started with a banging world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Written and directed by American filmmaker Wendy Bednarz, the film stars Kinda Alloush alongside Bollywood Indian star Tannishtha Chatterjee, who won the Best Actress Award at several international festivals, including the British Independent Film Awards for her role in the British film BRICK LANE; as well as Bollywood star Amit Sial, known for the famous series INSIDE EDGE that was nominated for the International Emmy Awards in 2018; and Aarushi Laud, who plays the child that puts everything in motion.

The film is a co-production between the US, India, Jordan, and the UAE that is written and directed by American filmmaker Wendy Bednarz and produced by Jordanian producer and founder of Screen Project Nadia Eliewat — who worked on the award-winning film WHEN MONALIZA SMILED — alongside Founder of Sikhya Entertainment Guneet Monga, whose short documentary THE ELEPHANT WHISPERER won an Academy Award.

With MAD World handling the worldwide sales rights and MAD Distribution managing theatrical rights across the Arab-speaking region, the film is a co-production between the US, India, Jordan, and the UAE that is written and directed by American filmmaker Wendy Bednarz and produced by Jordanian producer and founder of Screen Project Nadia Eliewat—who worked on the award-winning film WHEN MONALIZA SMILED—alongside Founder of Sikhya Entertainment Guneet Monga, whose short documentary THE ELEPHANT WHISPERER won an Academy Award.