Yahoo Movies Mad Solutions Takes Arab World Rights to Cannes Critics’ Week Opener ‘Ghost Trail’ and Tribeca-Bound ‘Samia’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Arab distributor Mad Solutions has taken distribution rights for Arab world territories on French director Jonathan Millet’s “Ghost Trail,” ahead of the psychological thriller’s upcoming world premiere as the opening film of Cannes Critics’ Week.
“Ghost Trail” is being sold by French arthouse production and distribution giant MK2.
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Inspired by real-life events, “Ghost Trail” is the story of a Syrian man named Hamid who is part of a secret group pursuing fugitive leaders who perpetrated horrors in the name of the Syrian regime during the country’s civil war.
“His mission takes him to France, on the trail of his former torturer whom he must confront. But with his judgment clouded by pressure, doubt and revenge, can he be certain of the righteousness of his own actions?” the provided synopsis reads.
Cannes Critics’ Week artistic director Ava Cahen has described “Ghost Trail” as a “thrilling sensory film in which French-Tunisian actor Adam Bessa’s subtlety leaves us breathless.”
Bessa, who plays Hamid, won the best actor award in the 2022 Cannes Un Certain Regard section for his role in U.S.-based director Lotfy Nathan’s “Harka.” “Ghost Trail” also stars Palestinian actor Tawfeek Barhom (“Boy From Heaven”).
Commenting on their latest acquisition, Mad Solutions co-founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab expressed excitement for this new chapter in their partnership with MK2 Films in a statement, saying: “It’s always a joy working with a company like MK2 Films that values both authenticity and good cinema.”
“It’s so easy in this industry to buckle under the weight of what sells and what the public wants to see that it has become increasingly rare to find a partner that values what we do: A certain universality to the stories we tell,” they added.
In a separate deal with MK2, Mad Solutions also announced they’ve taken Arab world territories on German-Turkish director Yasemin Şamdereli’s uplifting sports drama “Samia,” which will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival’s international narrative competition in June.
“Samia” is based on the true story of young Somalian sprinter Samia Yusuf Omar who defied taboos by racing through the streets of Mogadishu in a society where a woman is not supposed to run. She then participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, becoming a global symbol in the fight for freedom and women’s rights.
Mad Solutions and MK2 have previously partnered on Mahamat Saleh Haroun’s “A Season in France,” Roschdy Zem’s dramedy “Our Ties” and Soudade Kaadan’s “Nezouh,” among other standout arthouse titles.
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