MAD Solutions' films bag top honours at Toronto Arab Film Festival

The Toronto Arab Film Festival began in 2017 to address the absence of Arab films in Toronto's film programming.

Two films from MAD Solutions‘ feature slate have been recognised at the Toronto Arab Film Festival, held from June 20 to 30. Karim Bensalah’s Six Feet Over won the Nakheel Award for Best Feature Film, while Hend Bakr’s The Tedious Tour of M received an Honorable Mention for Best Feature Film.

Karim Bensalah’s Algerian-French drama Six Feet Over premiered at the Montpellier Mediterranean Film Festival and won the Best Screenplay Award at the Red Sea International Film Festival. It also garnered the Activités Sociales de L’énergie Award at the Angers European First Film Festival and was screened at the Arab Film Days Film Festival in Norway.

Six Feet Over tells the story of Sofiane, the son of a former Algerian embassy clerk, who faces expulsion while studying in Lyon. To legalise his status, he works for a Muslim funeral home. Through his experiences, Sofiane embarks on a journey of self-discovery and maturity. The film, co-written by Karim Bensalah and Jamal Belmahi, features actors Hamza Meziani, Kader Affak, Souad Arsane and Mostefa Djadjam. It was produced by Oualid Baha and co-produced by Eugénie Michel Villette, with music by Adrien Casalis. MAD Distribution manages the film’s distribution in the Arab world, while The Party Film Sales handles worldwide distribution.

Hend Bakr’s Egyptian documentary The Tedious Tour of M will be screened at Zawya Cinema in Cairo this July. The film recently received a Special Jury Mention for Humanity and Continuity at the Independent International Documentary Film Festival (OSA) in Moscow.

The Tedious Tour of M follows filmmaker Hend Bakr as she explores the life of Mohamed Hafez Ragab, a prominent Egyptian writer who chose self-isolation for 30 years. The documentary premiered at the Aswan International Women’s Film Festival and received a Special Mention from the Gabes Art Festival in Tunisia. It was also screened at the Goethe Institute in Cairo, the Jesuit Cultural Center in Alexandria and last year’s Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film. MAD World handles the film’s worldwide sales, with MAD Distribution managing distribution in the MENA region.