Exclusive: Nicolas Cage, FKA twigs, Noah Jupe and Souheila Yacoub are set to star in Egyptian-American director Lotfy Nathan’s The Carpenter’s Son exploring the rarely told story of the childhood of Jesus with a horror take.
Paris-based Cinenovo and L.A.-based Spacemaker are producing. Goodfellas is overseeing international sales apart from in North America, which it will co-rep with Anonymous Content and WME.
Nathan has taken inspiration from the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas for the screenplay. Dating back to the 2nd Century Ad, the text recounts the childhood of Jesus.
Per the official synopsis, “The Carpenter’s Son tells the dark story of a family hiding out in Roman Egypt. The son, known only as ‘the Boy’, is driven to doubt by another mysterious child and rebels against his guardian, the Carpenter, revealing inherent powers and a fate beyond his comprehension. As he exercises his own power,...
Paris-based Cinenovo and L.A.-based Spacemaker are producing. Goodfellas is overseeing international sales apart from in North America, which it will co-rep with Anonymous Content and WME.
Nathan has taken inspiration from the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas for the screenplay. Dating back to the 2nd Century Ad, the text recounts the childhood of Jesus.
Per the official synopsis, “The Carpenter’s Son tells the dark story of a family hiding out in Roman Egypt. The son, known only as ‘the Boy’, is driven to doubt by another mysterious child and rebels against his guardian, the Carpenter, revealing inherent powers and a fate beyond his comprehension. As he exercises his own power,...
- 5/6/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
London and Paris based production, finance and sales outfit Film Constellation have revealed the first look of “Bonjour Tristesse,” which just wrapped principal photography. The adaptation of Françoise Sagan’s novel is directed by Durga Chew-Bose. Film Constellation is showing exclusive first promo footage to buyers during the European Film Market.
Academy Award nominee and Golden Globes winner Chloë Sevigny stars alongside Claes Bang with rising talent Lily McInerny in the role of Cécile. McInerny received a best breakthrough performance nomination at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards.
This contemporary adaptation also stars Aliocha Schneider (“Greek Salad”) and Naïlia Harzoune (“Patients”).
The film is produced by Babe Nation Films’s Katie Bird Nolan and Lindsay Tapscott, Elevation Pictures’ Noah Segal and Christina Piovesan, Wolfgang Mueller and Benito Mueller of Barry Films and Cinenovo’s Julie Viez. Executive producers are Fabien Westerhoff for Constellation Prods., Suzanne Court, Elevation’s Omar Chalabi, Jesse Weening and Emily Kulasa,...
Academy Award nominee and Golden Globes winner Chloë Sevigny stars alongside Claes Bang with rising talent Lily McInerny in the role of Cécile. McInerny received a best breakthrough performance nomination at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards.
This contemporary adaptation also stars Aliocha Schneider (“Greek Salad”) and Naïlia Harzoune (“Patients”).
The film is produced by Babe Nation Films’s Katie Bird Nolan and Lindsay Tapscott, Elevation Pictures’ Noah Segal and Christina Piovesan, Wolfgang Mueller and Benito Mueller of Barry Films and Cinenovo’s Julie Viez. Executive producers are Fabien Westerhoff for Constellation Prods., Suzanne Court, Elevation’s Omar Chalabi, Jesse Weening and Emily Kulasa,...
- 2/18/2024
- by Carole Horst
- Variety Film + TV
Tunisian filmmaker Ala Eddine Slim attended this week’s Atlas Workshops at Marrakech Film Festival with the rough cut of his third feature film, “Agora.”
The film revolves around three missing people who return to a remote town in Tunisia, where the local police inspector, Fathi, tries to unravel the mystery with the help of her friend Amine. Then a second inspector arrives from the capital. The events of the film develop as if they were taking place in the dreams of two animals – a blue dog and a black crow.
Slim’s previous two films, with minimal dialogue and powerful atmospheric images, have garnered significant critical acclaim: “The Last of Us” (2016), which won the Lion of the Future Prize at Venice, and “Tlamess” (2019), which was selected for the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes.
“Agora” is a French-Tunisian coproduction between Julie Viez’s Cinenovo and Slim’s Exit Productions. It has secured 80% of its €623,593 budget.
The film revolves around three missing people who return to a remote town in Tunisia, where the local police inspector, Fathi, tries to unravel the mystery with the help of her friend Amine. Then a second inspector arrives from the capital. The events of the film develop as if they were taking place in the dreams of two animals – a blue dog and a black crow.
Slim’s previous two films, with minimal dialogue and powerful atmospheric images, have garnered significant critical acclaim: “The Last of Us” (2016), which won the Lion of the Future Prize at Venice, and “Tlamess” (2019), which was selected for the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes.
“Agora” is a French-Tunisian coproduction between Julie Viez’s Cinenovo and Slim’s Exit Productions. It has secured 80% of its €623,593 budget.
- 12/3/2023
- by Martin Dale
- Variety Film + TV
The Cineuropa folks have highlight three action-genre projects we’ll now be keeping tabs on and which have benefitted from some coin from the Cnc folks. The screenplays for La vraie vie by Marie Monge, Arco by Ugo Bienvenu and Trompe la mort by Rocco Labbé have been selected. Here is the low down on the three projects.
La vraie vie – Marie Monge
Prod: Cinenovo’s Julie Viez / Sailor Films’ David Pierret
Based on Adeline Dieudonné’s novel of the same name, this revolves around Billie who protects her little brother Gilles from the violence in their family by using her vivid imagination to tell him stories, which act as ramparts against reality.…...
La vraie vie – Marie Monge
Prod: Cinenovo’s Julie Viez / Sailor Films’ David Pierret
Based on Adeline Dieudonné’s novel of the same name, this revolves around Billie who protects her little brother Gilles from the violence in their family by using her vivid imagination to tell him stories, which act as ramparts against reality.…...
- 6/26/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
The first time Jim Jarmusch came to Cannes was with his sophomore film Stranger Than Paradise, which played the Quinzaine in 1984. “We all shared one apartment that had no hot water, that was up the hill,” he recalls. “One day I had to be on TV and there was no water, so I had to shave with leftover tea.” Those days are long gone; Jarmusch is a fixture on the Croisette these days, and even had the dubious pleasure of opening it in 2019 with his Bill Murray-starring zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die.
This year he arrived at the festival with a piece for Cannes Classics called The Return to Reason, a work-in-progress restoration of four films by American artist Man Ray shot in Paris during the early 1920s. Featuring a live soundtrack by SQÜRL, the band Jarmusch formed with Carter Logan in 2009, it is essentially a concert movie...
This year he arrived at the festival with a piece for Cannes Classics called The Return to Reason, a work-in-progress restoration of four films by American artist Man Ray shot in Paris during the early 1920s. Featuring a live soundtrack by SQÜRL, the band Jarmusch formed with Carter Logan in 2009, it is essentially a concert movie...
- 5/24/2023
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
It is the first 4K restoration of Man Ray’s four surrealist short films, paired with an original soundtrack by Jim Jarmusch and Carter Logan’s New York band Sqürl.
London and Paris-based Film Constellation has set a slew of deals on Man Ray’s Return To Reason, ahead of the film’s debut in Cannes Classics.
The newly restored 4k version is an assembly of Man Ray’s four cult classic silent films, paired with an original soundtrack by Jim Jarmusch and Carter Logan’s New York band Sqürl.
It has sold to Potemkine in France, Plaion in Germany,...
London and Paris-based Film Constellation has set a slew of deals on Man Ray’s Return To Reason, ahead of the film’s debut in Cannes Classics.
The newly restored 4k version is an assembly of Man Ray’s four cult classic silent films, paired with an original soundtrack by Jim Jarmusch and Carter Logan’s New York band Sqürl.
It has sold to Potemkine in France, Plaion in Germany,...
- 5/21/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Oscar nominee Chloë Sevigny (Boys Don’t Cry), European Film Awards best actor winner Claes Bang (The Square), Sundance 2022 breakout Lily McInerny (Palm Trees and Power Lines) and French actress Nailia Harzoune (Gone For Good) are leading an English-language contemporary adaptation of French writer Françoise Sagan’s classic novel Bonjour Tristesse.
London and Paris-based outfit Film Constellation is launching sales in Cannes on the project written and to be directed by newcomer Durga Chew-Bose. UTA Independent Film Group is repping domestic sales alongside Film Constellation and Elevation Pictures.
The story follows Cécile (McInerny), a young woman spending the summer in a villa in the south of France with her widowed father Raymond (Bang) and his latest love interest, Elsa (Harzoune). Theirs is a lived-in compatibility—a world of ease and languor. But all that soon changes with the arrival of Anne (Sevigny), an old friend of Raymond and Cécile’s mother.
London and Paris-based outfit Film Constellation is launching sales in Cannes on the project written and to be directed by newcomer Durga Chew-Bose. UTA Independent Film Group is repping domestic sales alongside Film Constellation and Elevation Pictures.
The story follows Cécile (McInerny), a young woman spending the summer in a villa in the south of France with her widowed father Raymond (Bang) and his latest love interest, Elsa (Harzoune). Theirs is a lived-in compatibility—a world of ease and languor. But all that soon changes with the arrival of Anne (Sevigny), an old friend of Raymond and Cécile’s mother.
- 5/16/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman and Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
London- and Paris-based production, finance and sales company Film Constellation is launching sales on “Return to Reason,” the newly restored 4K version of an assembly of Man Ray’s four cult classic silent films, paired with an original soundtrack by Jim Jarmusch and Carter Logan’s SQÜRL.
The film, which is produced by Marieke Tricoire at Womanray and Julie Viez at Cinenovo, will premiere in Cannes’ Official Selection as part of the Cannes Classics sidebar.
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Man Ray’s first film in 1923, “Return to Reason” is the first 4K restoration of Man Ray’s four surrealist and dreamlike short films, known as the first surrealist films, now accompanied by an exclusive soundtrack composed and performed by filmmaker Jim Jarmusch and musician Carter Logan’s band SQÜRL.
“Le retour à la raison”
Featuring “Le retour à la raison” (Return to Reason) (1923), “Emak Bakia” (1926), “L’étoile de mer...
The film, which is produced by Marieke Tricoire at Womanray and Julie Viez at Cinenovo, will premiere in Cannes’ Official Selection as part of the Cannes Classics sidebar.
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Man Ray’s first film in 1923, “Return to Reason” is the first 4K restoration of Man Ray’s four surrealist and dreamlike short films, known as the first surrealist films, now accompanied by an exclusive soundtrack composed and performed by filmmaker Jim Jarmusch and musician Carter Logan’s band SQÜRL.
“Le retour à la raison”
Featuring “Le retour à la raison” (Return to Reason) (1923), “Emak Bakia” (1926), “L’étoile de mer...
- 5/8/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Italy’s International Audiovisual Market Mia is expecting a return to full force this year ahead of its eighth edition in Rome from October 11 to 15.
Speaking at a preview press conference on Thursday, director Gaia Tridente said the meeting had registered a 12 rise in attendance this year with accreditations still open, although she did not give precise figures.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Mia welcomed 2,500 attendees in 2019, while there were 2,000 registered attendees in 2021 when travel was still restricted.
This year marks the inaugural edition for Tridente who was previously head of scripted at Mia.
Based around Rome’s historic Barberini Palace and the nearby newly refurbished Barberini Cinema, the event spans a traditional market, co-production meetings and a conference.
Expected guests include Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti, Netflix Emea TV boss Larry Tanz, Lionsgate TV Group president Sandra Stern and Fremantle COO and continental Europe CEO Andrea Scrosati as well as...
Speaking at a preview press conference on Thursday, director Gaia Tridente said the meeting had registered a 12 rise in attendance this year with accreditations still open, although she did not give precise figures.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Mia welcomed 2,500 attendees in 2019, while there were 2,000 registered attendees in 2021 when travel was still restricted.
This year marks the inaugural edition for Tridente who was previously head of scripted at Mia.
Based around Rome’s historic Barberini Palace and the nearby newly refurbished Barberini Cinema, the event spans a traditional market, co-production meetings and a conference.
Expected guests include Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti, Netflix Emea TV boss Larry Tanz, Lionsgate TV Group president Sandra Stern and Fremantle COO and continental Europe CEO Andrea Scrosati as well as...
- 10/6/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Film Constellation, the London-based company behind Cannes’ Un Certain Regard highlights “Joyland” and “Harka,” is set to ramp up its production pipeline with the launch of a dedicated banner in Paris and a raft of ambitious new projects.
Named Constellation Productions, the new outfit is on board to co-produce Oscar-nominated Quebecois director Jeremy Comte’s debut “Paradise” and Carmen Chaplin’s documentary feature “Charlie Chaplin: A Man of the World.”
Created by Fabien Westerhoff in 2016, Film Constellation kicked off its production activities two years ago and is now taking it to the next level to invest on more promising talents, as well as develop original projects. Edward Parodi, head of acquisitions at Film Constellation, will be working across acquisition and development for the sales and production outfits.
“The new production house is another step in that direction to develop original projects with historical talent relationships, and take an active part in international co-productions,...
Named Constellation Productions, the new outfit is on board to co-produce Oscar-nominated Quebecois director Jeremy Comte’s debut “Paradise” and Carmen Chaplin’s documentary feature “Charlie Chaplin: A Man of the World.”
Created by Fabien Westerhoff in 2016, Film Constellation kicked off its production activities two years ago and is now taking it to the next level to invest on more promising talents, as well as develop original projects. Edward Parodi, head of acquisitions at Film Constellation, will be working across acquisition and development for the sales and production outfits.
“The new production house is another step in that direction to develop original projects with historical talent relationships, and take an active part in international co-productions,...
- 5/25/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Lotfy Nathan, the director of Un Certain Regard title “Harka,” is set to make an elevated horror feature with the producers of “Armageddon Time.”
Following the Cannes premiere of “Harka,” Nathan is moving forward with his sophomore film, which is tentatively titled “Son,” based on the apocryphal infancy gospel of Thomas, about the childhood of Jesus.
The film continues the relationship between the U.S. director, Spacemaker Prods. and Cinenovo. Set to shoot in English with an American cast, the production is scheduled for early 2023 and will be shot in the Mena region.
“Son” will be produced by Julie Viez at Cinenovo, and Alex Hughes and Riccardo Maddalosso at Spacemaker.
Spacemaker’s credits include James Gray’s “Armageddon Time,” which premiered in competition on Thursday in Cannes; Eugene Kotlyarenko’s Sundance hit “Spree”; and Dasha Nekrasova’s arthouse horror “The Scary of Sixty-First,” the winner of the best first feature...
Following the Cannes premiere of “Harka,” Nathan is moving forward with his sophomore film, which is tentatively titled “Son,” based on the apocryphal infancy gospel of Thomas, about the childhood of Jesus.
The film continues the relationship between the U.S. director, Spacemaker Prods. and Cinenovo. Set to shoot in English with an American cast, the production is scheduled for early 2023 and will be shot in the Mena region.
“Son” will be produced by Julie Viez at Cinenovo, and Alex Hughes and Riccardo Maddalosso at Spacemaker.
Spacemaker’s credits include James Gray’s “Armageddon Time,” which premiered in competition on Thursday in Cannes; Eugene Kotlyarenko’s Sundance hit “Spree”; and Dasha Nekrasova’s arthouse horror “The Scary of Sixty-First,” the winner of the best first feature...
- 5/20/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
The feature is premiering in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
Neon has acquired North American rights to Mark Jenkin’s horror Enys Men, ahead of its premiere in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
UK-based Protagonist Pictures represents worldwide rights.
The title is Jenkin’s follow-up to Bafta winner Bait, and reunites him with Bait stars Mary Woodvine and Edward Rowe. It unravels around a wildlife volunteer living a solitary life on a remote Cornish island, who starts to lose her grip on reality.
It’s produced by Denzil Monk for Bosena. Film4 co-financed the film.
Jenkin won the Bafta for outstanding debut by a British writer,...
Neon has acquired North American rights to Mark Jenkin’s horror Enys Men, ahead of its premiere in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
UK-based Protagonist Pictures represents worldwide rights.
The title is Jenkin’s follow-up to Bafta winner Bait, and reunites him with Bait stars Mary Woodvine and Edward Rowe. It unravels around a wildlife volunteer living a solitary life on a remote Cornish island, who starts to lose her grip on reality.
It’s produced by Denzil Monk for Bosena. Film4 co-financed the film.
Jenkin won the Bafta for outstanding debut by a British writer,...
- 5/19/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Film Constellation represents worldwide sales, co-repping North America with CAA.
Dulac Distribution has secured French distribution rights for Lotfy Nathan’s feature debut Harka, ahead of its Cannes Un Certain Regard world premiere.
The drama was acquired from London and Paris based sales agent Film Constellation, who represents worldwide sales rights, while co-repping North America with CAA.
Screen can exclusively reveal the film’s first image above.
Ali is a young Tunisian who dreams of a better life, and makes a living selling contraband gas at the local black market. When his father suddenly dies, he’s forced to take...
Dulac Distribution has secured French distribution rights for Lotfy Nathan’s feature debut Harka, ahead of its Cannes Un Certain Regard world premiere.
The drama was acquired from London and Paris based sales agent Film Constellation, who represents worldwide sales rights, while co-repping North America with CAA.
Screen can exclusively reveal the film’s first image above.
Ali is a young Tunisian who dreams of a better life, and makes a living selling contraband gas at the local black market. When his father suddenly dies, he’s forced to take...
- 5/10/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Arab cinema is going from strength to strength with a run of really good, successful, films from across the region telling authentic and compelling stories that have captured the hearts and minds of global audiences. During Cannes, filmmakers from the region will come together on May 21 at 10 am at the Marina Stage in the Riviera to discuss the future of Arab cinema and discuss the opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed in order to build a robust industry that will elevate Arab cinema and command the attention it deserves.
This year there are nine films in the Festival Competition, Un Certain Regard, Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week plus four projects in L’Atelier. They are listed below.
Saudi Film Commission will host a Conference and a panel on the State of Arabia with Lotfy Nathan, producer, director, writer whose work in progress Harka won the US 30,000 award at the 2021 Red Sea Film Festival and is now premiering in Un Certain Regard. Also on the panel is Mohammed Hefzy, producer, writer and Aymebn Khoja, producer, director, writer and to be moderated by Liz Shackelton, Screen International Asia Editor
My Choices for Feature Film: ‘Europa’, Selected Documentary Film: ‘Republic Of Silence’, Selected Actor: Adam Ali, Selected Actress: Maisa Abd Elhadi, Selected Director: Ayten Amin, Selected Screenplay: Ayten Amin — Mahmoud Ezzat
Panelist #1 Lotfy Nathan is the recipient of The Red Sea Fund cash prize awarded in 2021 by the Red Sea Souk Jury. The Red Sea Souk Award grant of US 30,000 was presented for his film Harka aka Contra aka Before the Spring, a “simple, tragic parable” as described by Nathan, about Ali, a young Tunisian making a precarious living selling contraband gas as he faces an impending eviction and is forced to take care of his two younger sisters, who, in real life, precipitated the Arab Spring with his act of defiance demanding dignity. His choice became the symbol of a silenced generation trying to be heard. His film Harka is in Un Certain Regard in the Cannes Film Festival 2022! The international sales agent is Constellation.
Harka
Nathan is an American filmmaker of Egyptian descent. His first feature film, the documentary 12 O’Clock Boys, for which he received the HBO Emerging Artist Award, was selected in over 50 international festivals, including SXSW, Sundance LA, Lincoln Center, Viennale, Hot Docs, London and Copenhagen. It is distributed in the United States by Oscilloscope and has been purchased by Showtime and Amazon as well as being optioned by Will Smith’s company, Overbrook Entrertainement to adapt into a drama. In 2015, Lotfy was a recipient of the Creative Capital and participated in a Cinereach Foundation director’s residency. He had previously been a recipient of the Garrett Scott Fund, the Peter Reed Foundation, the Grainger Marburg Fund, and the IFP Fellowship. This, his first feature film, was developed in the Sundance Film Institute’s Screenwriting Lab in 2016 and is now in post-production.
The film’s producer Julie Viez started her career in the film industry at Warner Bros Emea (Europe Middle East Asia). She then focused on independent film production, working for companies such as Pan-Européenne, The Film, and CG Cinema. She works on an international scale and produces a wide range of budgets. In 2019 Julie shot La Salamandre , the debut feature of director Alex Carvalho which premiered at Venice’s Settimana in 2021. She is developing several ambitious features and series, among which the next features by Cannes-nominated directors Abu Bakr Shawky, Jonathan Littell, Morgan Simon, and Marie Monge.
The third partner are the producers of The Man Who Sold His Skin, Academy Award Nomination 2020 — see my previous blog on that film — whose director, Kaouther Ben Hania, is now President of the Jury for Critics Week.).
Panelist #2 is the prolific Egyptian screenwriter and producer Mohamed Hefzy, with a constantly growing filmography of 30 feature films including worldwide acclaimed titles such as Huda’s Salon (2021) Feathers (2021), Souad (2021) You Will Die at Twenty (2019), Youmeddine (2018), and Clash (2016). He has served as a jury member in various international festivals including the 75th Venice International Film Festival. As of its 40th edition and for four consecutive years; Mohamed Hefzy was the appointed President of the Cairo International Film Festival.
In 2005, He founded Film Clinic; the now pioneer production house in the Mena region with a variety of commercial blockbusters and arthouse films that have participated in major film festivals worldwide including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, Toronto, and Tribeca with more than 80 international awards under its belt. Later Hefzy founded Film Clinic Indie Distribution, with a mission to create opportunities for Arab independent films within and beyond festival circuits & Co- founded Meem Creative Circle which produced Netflix’s first Egyptian original series Paranormal.
Hefzy was cited among 30 future leaders in film production by Screen International, headed Variety’s list of Ten Names You Need to Know in the Arab Film Industry and was among Variety’s 500 list of the most influential people in the media industry worldwide. He was granted the Arab Cinema Personality of the Year award by the Hollywood Reporter & Arab Cinema Center. Hefzy is an official member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences in the producers’ branch. In recognition of his significant contribution to the Arab film scene, He was honored as a “Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres” from France.
Panelist #3 is Aymen Khoja, a film producer-director committed to bold voices and innovative forms to bridge cultures and to clear up any misunderstandings.
Over six years of experience producing and directing with international studios and production companies, such as Mbc Studios the biggest broadcaster in the Middle East and Viu, the No1 streaming platform east of Asia. Aymen has filmed in different cities all over the world from Los Angeles, Dubai, Abu-Dhabi, Bucharest, Cairo, to Jeddah. He successfully delivers high-quality films and series on time within budget.
In 2016 Aymen co-founded Khoja Brothers Productions and managed to fund, direct, co-produce, co-write his first feature film Shoot Aka The Arabian Warrior, and successfully released it theatrically then sold it to Sony Pictures, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple, and lastly Shahid. Aymen’s debut making ultra-low-budget films made him emphasize story quality, maximize creativity, and carefully spend every dollar.
Aymen received his Master’s degree in film with honors from the New York Film Academy, Los Angeles where he produced and directed many short films that have been played in different film festivals around the world. Aymen received his Bachelor’s in Business and Management from King Abdul-Aziz University, Saudi Arabia. This background helped him to be at the top of his organizing game, networking, and career growth.
Born and raised in the east of Saudi Arabia until the age of 11, Khoja then traveled back with his parents to the west, Makkah where he stayed until he was 23 when he traveled to the US to pursue his dream of making films. Aymen had the passion and drive to make movies in a time there were no theaters in his home country. Being a pioneer, he had to push and fight traditions to achieve what he believes is his mission in life: to bridge and close gaps between cultures through the form of cinema by telling the right stories.
Nine Mena Films to see in the Festival:
Cannes Ff Competition Leila’s Brothers directed by Saeed Roustayi from IranCannes Ff Competition Holy Spider directed by Iranian Ali Abbasi but funded by France, Germany, Sweden, DenmarkUn Certain Regard Harka directed by Lotfy Nathan from TunisiaUn Certain Regard The Blue Caftan directed by Maryam Touzani from MoroccoUn Certain Regard Mediterranean Fever directed by Maha Haj from PalestineUn Certain Regard Domingo And The Mist directed by Ariel Escalante from Costa Rica with support from QatarDirectors’ Fortnight Under the Fig Trees directed by Eriga Sehiri from TunisiaDirectors’ Fortnight Ashkal directed by Youssef Chebbi from TunisiaCritics’ Week in Competition Imagine directed by Ali Behrad from IranL’Atelier project: Hamlet From The Slums from Egypt, directed by Ahmed Fawzi SalehL’Atelier project: The Blind Ferryman from Iraq and Switzerland, directed by Ali Al-FatlawiL’Atelier project: You Are My Everything from Israel, directed by Michal VinikdL’Atelier project: The Doubt from Palestine and Israel, directed by Ihab Jadallah...
This year there are nine films in the Festival Competition, Un Certain Regard, Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week plus four projects in L’Atelier. They are listed below.
Saudi Film Commission will host a Conference and a panel on the State of Arabia with Lotfy Nathan, producer, director, writer whose work in progress Harka won the US 30,000 award at the 2021 Red Sea Film Festival and is now premiering in Un Certain Regard. Also on the panel is Mohammed Hefzy, producer, writer and Aymebn Khoja, producer, director, writer and to be moderated by Liz Shackelton, Screen International Asia Editor
My Choices for Feature Film: ‘Europa’, Selected Documentary Film: ‘Republic Of Silence’, Selected Actor: Adam Ali, Selected Actress: Maisa Abd Elhadi, Selected Director: Ayten Amin, Selected Screenplay: Ayten Amin — Mahmoud Ezzat
Panelist #1 Lotfy Nathan is the recipient of The Red Sea Fund cash prize awarded in 2021 by the Red Sea Souk Jury. The Red Sea Souk Award grant of US 30,000 was presented for his film Harka aka Contra aka Before the Spring, a “simple, tragic parable” as described by Nathan, about Ali, a young Tunisian making a precarious living selling contraband gas as he faces an impending eviction and is forced to take care of his two younger sisters, who, in real life, precipitated the Arab Spring with his act of defiance demanding dignity. His choice became the symbol of a silenced generation trying to be heard. His film Harka is in Un Certain Regard in the Cannes Film Festival 2022! The international sales agent is Constellation.
Harka
Nathan is an American filmmaker of Egyptian descent. His first feature film, the documentary 12 O’Clock Boys, for which he received the HBO Emerging Artist Award, was selected in over 50 international festivals, including SXSW, Sundance LA, Lincoln Center, Viennale, Hot Docs, London and Copenhagen. It is distributed in the United States by Oscilloscope and has been purchased by Showtime and Amazon as well as being optioned by Will Smith’s company, Overbrook Entrertainement to adapt into a drama. In 2015, Lotfy was a recipient of the Creative Capital and participated in a Cinereach Foundation director’s residency. He had previously been a recipient of the Garrett Scott Fund, the Peter Reed Foundation, the Grainger Marburg Fund, and the IFP Fellowship. This, his first feature film, was developed in the Sundance Film Institute’s Screenwriting Lab in 2016 and is now in post-production.
The film’s producer Julie Viez started her career in the film industry at Warner Bros Emea (Europe Middle East Asia). She then focused on independent film production, working for companies such as Pan-Européenne, The Film, and CG Cinema. She works on an international scale and produces a wide range of budgets. In 2019 Julie shot La Salamandre , the debut feature of director Alex Carvalho which premiered at Venice’s Settimana in 2021. She is developing several ambitious features and series, among which the next features by Cannes-nominated directors Abu Bakr Shawky, Jonathan Littell, Morgan Simon, and Marie Monge.
The third partner are the producers of The Man Who Sold His Skin, Academy Award Nomination 2020 — see my previous blog on that film — whose director, Kaouther Ben Hania, is now President of the Jury for Critics Week.).
Panelist #2 is the prolific Egyptian screenwriter and producer Mohamed Hefzy, with a constantly growing filmography of 30 feature films including worldwide acclaimed titles such as Huda’s Salon (2021) Feathers (2021), Souad (2021) You Will Die at Twenty (2019), Youmeddine (2018), and Clash (2016). He has served as a jury member in various international festivals including the 75th Venice International Film Festival. As of its 40th edition and for four consecutive years; Mohamed Hefzy was the appointed President of the Cairo International Film Festival.
In 2005, He founded Film Clinic; the now pioneer production house in the Mena region with a variety of commercial blockbusters and arthouse films that have participated in major film festivals worldwide including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, Toronto, and Tribeca with more than 80 international awards under its belt. Later Hefzy founded Film Clinic Indie Distribution, with a mission to create opportunities for Arab independent films within and beyond festival circuits & Co- founded Meem Creative Circle which produced Netflix’s first Egyptian original series Paranormal.
Hefzy was cited among 30 future leaders in film production by Screen International, headed Variety’s list of Ten Names You Need to Know in the Arab Film Industry and was among Variety’s 500 list of the most influential people in the media industry worldwide. He was granted the Arab Cinema Personality of the Year award by the Hollywood Reporter & Arab Cinema Center. Hefzy is an official member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences in the producers’ branch. In recognition of his significant contribution to the Arab film scene, He was honored as a “Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres” from France.
Panelist #3 is Aymen Khoja, a film producer-director committed to bold voices and innovative forms to bridge cultures and to clear up any misunderstandings.
Over six years of experience producing and directing with international studios and production companies, such as Mbc Studios the biggest broadcaster in the Middle East and Viu, the No1 streaming platform east of Asia. Aymen has filmed in different cities all over the world from Los Angeles, Dubai, Abu-Dhabi, Bucharest, Cairo, to Jeddah. He successfully delivers high-quality films and series on time within budget.
In 2016 Aymen co-founded Khoja Brothers Productions and managed to fund, direct, co-produce, co-write his first feature film Shoot Aka The Arabian Warrior, and successfully released it theatrically then sold it to Sony Pictures, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple, and lastly Shahid. Aymen’s debut making ultra-low-budget films made him emphasize story quality, maximize creativity, and carefully spend every dollar.
Aymen received his Master’s degree in film with honors from the New York Film Academy, Los Angeles where he produced and directed many short films that have been played in different film festivals around the world. Aymen received his Bachelor’s in Business and Management from King Abdul-Aziz University, Saudi Arabia. This background helped him to be at the top of his organizing game, networking, and career growth.
Born and raised in the east of Saudi Arabia until the age of 11, Khoja then traveled back with his parents to the west, Makkah where he stayed until he was 23 when he traveled to the US to pursue his dream of making films. Aymen had the passion and drive to make movies in a time there were no theaters in his home country. Being a pioneer, he had to push and fight traditions to achieve what he believes is his mission in life: to bridge and close gaps between cultures through the form of cinema by telling the right stories.
Nine Mena Films to see in the Festival:
Cannes Ff Competition Leila’s Brothers directed by Saeed Roustayi from IranCannes Ff Competition Holy Spider directed by Iranian Ali Abbasi but funded by France, Germany, Sweden, DenmarkUn Certain Regard Harka directed by Lotfy Nathan from TunisiaUn Certain Regard The Blue Caftan directed by Maryam Touzani from MoroccoUn Certain Regard Mediterranean Fever directed by Maha Haj from PalestineUn Certain Regard Domingo And The Mist directed by Ariel Escalante from Costa Rica with support from QatarDirectors’ Fortnight Under the Fig Trees directed by Eriga Sehiri from TunisiaDirectors’ Fortnight Ashkal directed by Youssef Chebbi from TunisiaCritics’ Week in Competition Imagine directed by Ali Behrad from IranL’Atelier project: Hamlet From The Slums from Egypt, directed by Ahmed Fawzi SalehL’Atelier project: The Blind Ferryman from Iraq and Switzerland, directed by Ali Al-FatlawiL’Atelier project: You Are My Everything from Israel, directed by Michal VinikdL’Atelier project: The Doubt from Palestine and Israel, directed by Ihab Jadallah...
- 5/8/2022
- by Sydney
- Sydney's Buzz
Cannes 2019 discoveries Mounia Meddour and Maryam Touzani are among the Mena filmmakers with works in post-production.
Middle Eastern and North African cinema enjoyed a high profile on the 2021 festival scene thanks to a raft of works from the region including Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch’s Casablanca Beats, Egyptian Cannes Critics’ Week winner Feathers, Lebanese filmmaker Mounia Akl’s Costa Brava, Lebanon, and Tribeca selection Souad by Egyptian filmmaker Ayten Amin.
Will this trend continue into 2022? Screen rounds up key titles from the Middle East and North Africa that are likely to excite festival programmers this year.
Am-Bi-Gu-i-Ty (Tun)
Dir. Nada Mezni Hafaiedh...
Middle Eastern and North African cinema enjoyed a high profile on the 2021 festival scene thanks to a raft of works from the region including Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch’s Casablanca Beats, Egyptian Cannes Critics’ Week winner Feathers, Lebanese filmmaker Mounia Akl’s Costa Brava, Lebanon, and Tribeca selection Souad by Egyptian filmmaker Ayten Amin.
Will this trend continue into 2022? Screen rounds up key titles from the Middle East and North Africa that are likely to excite festival programmers this year.
Am-Bi-Gu-i-Ty (Tun)
Dir. Nada Mezni Hafaiedh...
- 1/26/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
The inaugural edition of the Red Souk project market handed out $355,000 worth of prizes and other collateral awards.
Egyptian-uk filmmaker Lotfy Nathan’s debut fiction feature Contra scooped the top $30,000 post-production at the inaugural Red Sea Souk project market over the weekend.
The Tunisia-set, post-revolutionary tale follows an impoverished young man who is left in sole charge of his younger sisters when his father dies suddenly. It is lead produced by Julie Viez at Paris-based Cinenovo and Films Constellation is handling sales.
It was among five works in progress and 11 in projects in development or production, and another 12 projects developed...
Egyptian-uk filmmaker Lotfy Nathan’s debut fiction feature Contra scooped the top $30,000 post-production at the inaugural Red Sea Souk project market over the weekend.
The Tunisia-set, post-revolutionary tale follows an impoverished young man who is left in sole charge of his younger sisters when his father dies suddenly. It is lead produced by Julie Viez at Paris-based Cinenovo and Films Constellation is handling sales.
It was among five works in progress and 11 in projects in development or production, and another 12 projects developed...
- 12/13/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Principal photography has started in Tunisia on contemporary drama Contra, set in the aftermath of the powerful anti-government protests that provoked a wave of change in the region, known as the Arab spring.
The film (previously known as Before Spring) is being directed by Egyptian-British filmmaker Lotfy Nathan and will star French Tunisian actor Adam Bessa, known for his performances in recent action movies Mosul and Extraction.
A modern day parable about resistance, the film centers on the story of Ali, a young Tunisian who dreams of a better life, making a precarious living selling contraband gas at the local black market. When his father suddenly dies, he’s forced to take charge of his two younger sisters and their impending eviction. The movie will feature a combination of local actors and non-professionals.
Nathan’s narrative debut, shot on 35mm film, is being produced by Julie Viez (Long Day’s Journey Into Night...
The film (previously known as Before Spring) is being directed by Egyptian-British filmmaker Lotfy Nathan and will star French Tunisian actor Adam Bessa, known for his performances in recent action movies Mosul and Extraction.
A modern day parable about resistance, the film centers on the story of Ali, a young Tunisian who dreams of a better life, making a precarious living selling contraband gas at the local black market. When his father suddenly dies, he’s forced to take charge of his two younger sisters and their impending eviction. The movie will feature a combination of local actors and non-professionals.
Nathan’s narrative debut, shot on 35mm film, is being produced by Julie Viez (Long Day’s Journey Into Night...
- 7/10/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
French-Moroccan actor Kamel Labroudi to star as Tunisian street vendor who took his own life as a protest.
German production outfit DETAiLFILM and Paris-based Cinenovo are teaming with Us companies Beachside Films and Anonymous Content on Before The Spring, a drama based on the life of Mohamed Bouazizi.
Bouazizi was a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire in protest of his treatment by officials; the act of defiance was one of the catalysts for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring.
Egyptian-British filmmaker Lotfy Nathan is making his narrative feature debut on the project. Nathan’s documentary 12 O’Clock Boys,...
German production outfit DETAiLFILM and Paris-based Cinenovo are teaming with Us companies Beachside Films and Anonymous Content on Before The Spring, a drama based on the life of Mohamed Bouazizi.
Bouazizi was a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire in protest of his treatment by officials; the act of defiance was one of the catalysts for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring.
Egyptian-British filmmaker Lotfy Nathan is making his narrative feature debut on the project. Nathan’s documentary 12 O’Clock Boys,...
- 5/17/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Paris-based Indie Sales has swooped on Yolande Zauberman’s “M,” which on Saturday night won Locarno’s Special Jury Prize, essentially its runners-up plaudit, making it the top prize winning movie from a woman at this year’s Swiss festival, the biggest film event in Europe between Cannes and Venice.
“M” also took Locarno’s Premio l’Ambiente à Qualité di Vita, awarded by its youth jury. The international sales rights deal was struck Saturday in Locarno. New Story will release “M” in cinema theaters in France first semester of 2019.
Produced by Charles Gillibert and Julie Viez for CG Cinema and Fabrice Biglio and Zauberman for Phobics Films, “M” marks a winning first entry into international documentary feature production by CG Cinema, a company best known for producing high-profile French fiction auteurs Olivier Assayas, Mia Hansen-Love and Deniz Gamze.
Director Zauberman has had a highly impressive career in both documentary and fiction features,...
“M” also took Locarno’s Premio l’Ambiente à Qualité di Vita, awarded by its youth jury. The international sales rights deal was struck Saturday in Locarno. New Story will release “M” in cinema theaters in France first semester of 2019.
Produced by Charles Gillibert and Julie Viez for CG Cinema and Fabrice Biglio and Zauberman for Phobics Films, “M” marks a winning first entry into international documentary feature production by CG Cinema, a company best known for producing high-profile French fiction auteurs Olivier Assayas, Mia Hansen-Love and Deniz Gamze.
Director Zauberman has had a highly impressive career in both documentary and fiction features,...
- 8/14/2018
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
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