Mad Solutions has announced its expansion plans with the establishment of Mad World, a Dubai-based company dedicated to the international sales of Arab films. The official launch of Mad World is set to take place at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
This venture marks a significant progression for Mad Solutions, building upon its successful entry into the international distribution arena last year with the widely acclaimed Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s Goodbye Julia, which garnered attention following its debut in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section.
In addition to securing global rights for an array of international co-productions, the Cairo-based studio has intensified its efforts in packaging Arabic projects with substantial global market potential.
Mad World will not only showcase fresh cinematic offerings but also oversee sales for an extensive library of recent festival award-winners, including shorts. Furthermore, it will manage a back-catalogue of titles, comprising regional theatrical and streaming releases, many of which have yet to reach audiences beyond the Middle East and North Africa region. Notably, the company’s distribution division, Mad Distribution, will maintain its focus on the MENA marketplace.
Heading Mad World are Mad Solutions co-founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab, alongside Brooklyn-based media analyst and consultant Colin Brown, who brings his expertise as a former editor of Screen International. All three will serve as co-presidents of Mad World, with Karkouti assuming the role of CEO.
Joining the leadership team are two seasoned European executives with extensive experience in international licensing. Edin De Liancourt, formerly associated with London-based Film Seekers and France’s Goodfellas, is appointed as vice president of sales and acquisitions, while Jeanne Deny, with a background in international sales teams at France’s SND Films and the acquisitions team at Federation Studios, takes on the role of director of sales and acquisitions.
The Mad World team is set to make a splash at Cannes with a diverse lineup in various stages of development. Among the highlights is Palestinian director Laila Abbas’s female empowerment drama, Thank You for Banking with Us! Also featured is Egyptian director Rani Massalha’s satirical take on The Return of the Prodigal Son, depicting the upheaval within Egypt’s Coptic Christian community amidst a swine flu outbreak. Saudi writer-turned-director Asim Altokhais presents The Last Exorcist, a horror film adapted from his own comic book, while Tunisian director Murad Ben Cheik explores Tunisian wedding rites in A Bird from Paradise. Additionally, Middle East-based US director Wendy Bednarz brings Yellow Bus, a drama chronicling a mother’s quest for justice following a tragic event, to the festival circuit.