Cairo-based distributor Mad Solutions and the Irth platform, founded by Egyptian creative Haitham Dabbour, announced a strategic partnership on Saturday during the Venice Film Festival. The collaboration aims to elevate the quality and reach of content originating from the Arab world.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement, the two entities will jointly develop, package, and support film, television, and other entertainment projects targeting both regional and international markets. The initiative seeks to create a robust pipeline for original Arabic projects, including talent-driven works, as well as third-party development and consultancy assignments.<\/p>\n
Launched earlier this year at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, Irth operates as the first collaborative writers\u2019 room uniting voices from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and across the broader Arab region. Dabbour, a bestselling author known for novels such as “Devoured by Seven Lean Cows” and “Moses Cross,” also brings screenwriting experience, having contributed to the El Gouna Film Festival prizewinner “Gunshot” and “The Tale of Ahl El Daye.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Irth has always been about bringing strong writers and different Arab voices together and giving ideas the development they need,” Dabbour said in a statement. “Mad\u2019s regional and international reach gives us the opportunity to take that work further and open new possibilities for the projects and writers we work with.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Established in 2010 by co-founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab, Mad Solutions encompasses a network of specialized divisions. These include Mad World, which handles international sales of Arab cinema; Mad Distribution, managing regional sales and distribution; and Mad Celebrity, which provides comprehensive talent management and representation.<\/p>\n
Karkouti and Diab emphasized that the partnership aligns with their broader expansion goals. “Development is a key part of Mad\u2019s regional and international expansion, and Irth brings a strong creative infrastructure and a diverse network of Arab writers to that strategy,” they stated. “Together, we can originate projects while also offering filmmakers and producers the development support they need to strengthen existing ones.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
The announcement coincides with a significant presence for Mad Solutions at this year\u2019s Venice festival, where two films are premiering on the Lido. The rural Egyptian drama “Al Baraneya,” directed by Ashgan El-Hamus, is screening in the Venice Days section, while the Palestinian film “Conversations with the Sea,” directed by Muayad Alayan, is featured in the Venice Spotlight section.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Mad Solutions will present its annual award at the Final Cut in Venice platform, an initiative that supports post-production and international industry opportunities for films from Africa and the Arab world. Details regarding the first projects emerging from the new partnership are expected to be announced shortly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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