MAD Distribution Acquires All Arab Rights To Tunisian Director Erige Sehiri’s ‘Marie And Jolie’

EXCLUSIVE: MAD Distribution, the theatrical arm of Cairo-based studio MAD Solutions, has acquired all Arab world rights (outside of Tunisia) for Erige Sehiri’s upcoming female-led African drama feature Marie and Jolie .

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The film follows Marie, Naney, and Jolie as they live under the same roof in Tunis in an old house, which also conceals an evangelical church.

After taking in Kenza, a little girl who survived a shipwreck, the three women each begin to question their place in this blended family and in a country in crisis.

The film was among 27 fiction film projects being presented at the Venice Gap Financing Market, aimed at projects that have at least 70% of their finance in place.

“This project began with my encounter with a former Ivorian journalist who emigrated to Tunisia and ended up building her own church,” explains Sehiri. “As a former journalist myself, I was really fascinated by her and also wondered what allowed her to go from journalist to pastor?”

“This film first and foremost stems from striking encounters with several women. Through a collective experience, based on real events, my goal is to question societal norms, explore women’s intimacy, faith, love, sisterhood, and the challenge of forming deep attachments with others when we are aware that life here is temporary.”

Marie and Jolie is a Tunisian-French co-production that brings together Tunisia’s Henia Productions, France’s Maneki Films and Canal+ International, and MAD Solution, the parent company of MAD Distribution.

The latter company previously collaborated with Sehiri on her last feature, Under The Fig Trees , which world premiere in Venice in 2021.

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“ Under The Fig Trees was a truly novel experience, living in that interesting yet illuminating space between documentary and fiction, which is why it resonated with audiences so much,” said MAD Solutions co-foudners Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab.

“When we heard that Erige Sehiri was working on a follow-up, we were only too eager to work with her again and even join hands with her this time as co-producers.”

Marie and Jolie is being lead produced by Didar Domheri at Paris-based Maneki Films.

Domheri believes that the film will shed new light on the human issues surrounding African migration.

“We often hear about people who migrate from Africa to Europe, while 80% of African migrants actually migrate within Africa. Among them, some settle in North Africa. Telling their stories opens up new perspectives and offers another way of looking at the world.”

Distribution is being handled by Jour2Fête in France, Pathé Afrique in Tunisia, and MAD Distribution across the rest of the MENA region. Luxbox is handling sales throughout the rest of the world.

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