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Exclusive: Cairo-based film company Mad Solutions has struck a deal with prominent Turkish agency People Talent Management to manage all commercial representation in the Arab World for several of its clients.

The partnership includes top Turkish stars such as Tuba Büyüküstün, Kaan Urgancıoğlu and Burcu Biricik, who will be represented in Arabic-speaking markets by Mad Celebrity.

The Mad Solutions subsidiary, which handles leading Arab world talents such as Egypt-Tunisian star Hend Sabry and Syrian actor Samer Ismail, is the Arab-world’s largest talent management and promotional agency.

Mad Solutions co-founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab said the partnership marked a milestone for the company.

“Since the establishment of Mad Solutions 15 years ago, our strategy has always been to expand in response to market needs,” they said

“That’s why we are extending our reach to select talent from around the world, including Turkiye, which has gained significant popularity in the Arab World,...

Exclusive: Mad Celebrity, the talent management and promotion arm of Cairo-based Mad Solutions, has Sudanese actress Islam Mubarak and Egyptian actor Adham Shukr as they touch down at the Berlin Film Festival.

Mubarak, made her name with her breakout performance in the Venice prize-winning 2019 drama You Will Die At Twenty.

She is in Berlin with Karim El Shennawy’s The Tale Of Daye’s Family, which world premiered in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film last December and now makes its European premiere in Berlin’s Generation 14plus sidebar.

Shukr, stars in Mohamed Rashad’s workplace thriller The Settlement which world premieres on Tuesday as part of the new competitive Perspectives section aimed at first films.

He will be represented by Mad Rising Celebrity, the division that promotes the careers of burgeoning talents.

The two Berlinale stars join a growing clientele that spans established superstars and emerging talents.Other recent...

Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman was celebrated at the fifth edition of Saudi Arabia’s Joy Awards in Riyadh over the weekend, with Anthony Hopkins presenting him with a Lifetime Achievement Award on stage.

The Million Dollar Baby Oscar winner, and the five-time nominee for films including The Shawshank Redemption and Driving Miss Daisy, was among a number of honorees who also included Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and UK director Guy Richie, while Matthew McConaughey was presented with the Personality of the Year Award.

Sunday’s star-studded ceremony – which is part of the Riyadh Season consisting of a series of high-profile entertainment, cultural and sporting events – featured performances by Saudi Singer Mohammed Abdo, U.S. pop star Christina Aguilera, Zimmer, Bocelli, Canadian pop icon Michael Bublé, Lebanese singing star Wael Kfoury, and Turkish singer-songwriter Tarkan.

Prior to the Joy Awards ceremony,...

Exclusive: Syrian actor Samer Ismail, whose international roles include Darren Lynn Bousman’s Saudi shot horror movie The Cello, has signed with talent management and promotional agency Mad Celebrity.

Ismail first achieved fame in the Middle East and North Africa as the title character in 2012 Mbc hit series Omar and made his big screen debut in Emirati director Ali F. Mustafa’s 2016 sci-fi thriller The worthy.

Mad Celebrity — a division of the Cairo-based Mad Solutions — will be exclusively responsible for representing Ismail in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) in contracts with production companies and advertising agencies, as well as in dealings with media outlets.

Ismail joins another 60 Arab world talents represented by the burgeoning agency including Egyptian superstar Yousra and buzzy rising actor Ahmed Malek, who enjoys fame at home in Egypt and is also building a buzzy international career with recent credits including Swimmers, Finchley Lane and Boiling Point.

The Cello is a supernatural horror film about a talented musician who discovers a new instrument that enhances his abilities. Director Darren Lynn Bousman took on the project because he enjoys taking risks and working on unique and challenging films. The movie was shot in Saudi Arabia, which was an unconventional location for Bousman, but he found it to be an exciting and inspiring experience.

Written by Turki Al Alshikh, The Cello is currently available in theaters nationwide. The supernatural horror is in both Arabic and English and follows a talented musician named Nasser, who feels as if his current instrument hinders his abilities. When he is given an antique cello, Nasser's talents take on new life. However, he refuses to acknowledge that his recently developed skills come at a cost.

Darren Lynn Bousman serves as the director of the film and is most well-known for his work on the Saw franchise.

It was only a decade ago that the first feature film to entirely shoot in Saudi Arabia was released — and it was directed by a woman. 2012's Wadjda remains an excellent film, and initiated the slow-drip of a New Saudi Cinema that has included the phenomenal pictures The Tambour of Retribution and The Perfect Candidate. Netflix just released a Saudi film, Alkhallat+. Politics aside, the kingdom is obviously transforming itself through a cultural renaissance of sorts, a modernizing effort that is attracting businesses and artists alike. Darren Lynn Bousman is now one of them.

Bousman is the director behind four films in the Saw franchise, the bombastic horror musical masterpiece Repo! The Genetic Opera, underrated recent films like Abattoir, and genuinely innovative immersive theater experiences like One Day Die. This Midwestern horror maestro is not the first person you'd expect to embed himself in Saudi Arabia and make an Arabic film,...

This past weekend was a bit erratic with a few movies doing surprisingly better than others, but this weekend, there’s really only one new wide release, as much of December’s big holiday releases don’t hit until next week. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.

The one wide release is Gkids’ release of Hayao Miyazaki‘s latest animated feature, “The Boy and the Heron,” which has been playing in select cities but will get a nationwide release into roughly 1,800 theaters in both subtitled and dubbed versions, the latter often being the chosen format for parents with young kids. Miyazaki always gets amazing Western voice casts, this one including Robert Pattinson, Christian Bale, Mark Hamill, Willem Dafoe and many more.

Although Miyazaki’s “Ponyo,” distributed by Disney, is still seen as his biggest box office success in North America with just $15 million, his movies always do...

Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II-iv, Spiral) is back with brand new horror movie The Cello, which will release here in North America on December 8. While you wait, Bloody Disgusting has been provided with an exclusive clip today, previewing three full minutes of the film.

Jeremy Irons is featured in this extended clip from Bousman’s The Cello, which gives us a bloody sneak peek at the terrifying power of the titular Cello. Watch it down below.

The Cello tells the story of a cellist who finds out his new cello comes with a centuries old curse. The film is written by Turki Alalshikh, a best-selling poet, musician and lyricist, based on his novel, and is produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts.

After the recent premiere, Director Darren Lynn Bousman said, “Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh with a packed audience was surreal. I have been so...

Santa Isn't Real: "After suffering a brutal attack on Christmas eve, a young woman, Nikki, struggles to convince her friends that the assailant was none other than Ol' Kris Kringle. When Santa returns to terrorize the group in their remote cabin the next Christmas, Nikki and her friends must overcome disbelief as they fight to stay alive."

Written and Directed by: Zac Locke (The Voyeurs, Black Christmas) Country of Origin: USA Language: English Genre: Horror Distributor: XYZ Films Run Time: 76 minutes Cast: Scarlett Sperduto, Dana Millican, Kaya Coleman

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The Cello: "Like many musicians, accomplished Saudi cellist Nasser (Samer Ismail) has aspirations for greatness, though he feels like he’s held back by the old, dilapidated instrument he’s forced to play. When Nasser is offered the chance to take possession of a gorgeous red cello by a mysterious shop owner (Tobin Bell), he finds new inspiration both for his playing and for his composing.

'The Cello' is a horror movie directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, featuring Tobin Bell and Jeremy Irons. The film follows the story of a Saudi cellist who obtains a new cello, unaware of its dark history, leading to horrifying events. Bousman, known for his work in the Saw franchise, brings his expertise in the genre to 'The Cello,' making it a highly anticipated film for horror fans.

Saw director Darren Lynn Bousman teams up with franchise star Tobin Bell for The Cello, his next horror movie, coming to theaters on December 8th. Music can be a blessing but also a curse. The Cello presents the story of Nasser, a Saudi cellist who feels frustrated because he has great aspirations but his instrument, an old and worn cello, does not allow him to demonstrate his full potential. So, when the opportunity arises to obtain a new, much newer and more refined instrument,...

Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II-iv, Spiral) is back with brand new horror movie The Cello, which had its World Premiere on September 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the Muvi Cinemas on famed Riyadh Boulevard. The film will release in North America on December 8.

While you wait, check out a fresh teaser trailer for The Cello below.

The Cello tells the story of a cellist who finds out his new cello comes with a centuries old curse. The film is written by Turki Alalshikh, a best-selling poet, musician and lyricist, based on his novel, and is produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts.

After the premiere, Director Darren Lynn Bousman said, “Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh with a packed audience was surreal. I have been so lucky in my career to shoot all over the world and Cello took me to Saudi Arabia, Prague & Ireland. It was...

Two years have passed since we heard that filming had wrapped on The Cello (formerly known as simply Cello), the latest horror project from director Darren Lynn Bousman – whose credits include Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, and Spiral: From the Book of Saw. Now a trailer for The Cello has finally arrived online, along with the information that the movie is going to be receiving a theatrical release on December 8th! You can watch the trailer in the embed above.

Filmed in Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic, The Cello is told through a mixture of English and Arabic. The screenplay was written by Turki Al Alshikh, the chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia, and is based on his first novel, which was published in 2021. The story centers on accomplished Saudi cellist Nasser, who has aspirations for greatness, though he feels like he’s held back by the old,...

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: "AMC Networks announced tonight that The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, the highly anticipated next series in the Walking Dead Universe, will premiere Sunday, February 25, 2024 on AMC and AMC+. A new teaser for the series, which stars Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira as beloved Twd characters Rick Grimes and Michonne, was also released during tonight’s series finale of Fear the Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live presents an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were. Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead... And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they've ever known before? Are they enemies?...

"This cello is a true find... those that hear it, weep..." Destiny Entertainment has unveiled an official trailer for a mystery horror film titled The Cello, the latest film from acclaimed horror filmmaker Darren Lynn Bousman. This is actually a Saudi Arabian production, featuring a story about a talented Saudi cellist. Based on the book by Turki Al Alshikh, The Cello, stars Jeremy Irons, Tobin Bell (the Saw series), Syrian actor Samer Ismail and Saudi actress Elham Ali, in the story of an aspiring cellist who learns the cost of his brand-new cello is a lot more insidious than he first thought. The film was shot on location in Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic. It almost seems like this is a live-action horror version of that fantastic Futurama episode "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings", where Fry swaps with the (Robot) Devil's hands so he can play his music better,...

Hammer Films Annoucnes October Release for Doctor Jekyll: "Hammer Films is thrilled to announce the theatrical release of B Good Picture Company’s Doctor Jekyll exclusively in UK cinemas from 27 October 2023.

Directed by Joe Stephenson featuring an impressive cast including Eddie Izzard, Scott Chambers, Lindsay Duncan and Simon Callow, Doctor Jekyll’s UK-wide release marks the first release for the recently resurrected Hammer, following its acquisition by theatre and entertainment mogul John Gore.

Bringing a modern twist to the critically adored tale, Doctor Jekyll will receive its red-carpet premiere at London’s iconic Odeon Leicester Square on 11 October. The film was also selected to play at FrightFest London 2023 where an initial cut of the film was screened as part of the festival’s line-up.

A modern interpretation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Doctor Jekyll, is a reimagining of the...

Cello, the under-the-radar English and Arabic-language horror movie shot in Saudi Arabia by Saw filmmaker Darren Lynn Bousman received its world premiere this week at the Muvi Cinema in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Oscar winner Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci) and Saw star Tobin Bell lead the cast alongside Syrian actor Samer Ismail (The Day I Lost My Shadow) and Saudi actress Elham Ali (Ashman) in the story of an aspiring cellist who learns that the cost of his brand-new cello is a lot more insidious than he first thought.

The film was written by Turki Alalshikh, the current Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment of Saudi Arabia. The film was produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts. Producers report the film has pre-sold over 15,000 tickets for the upcoming opening weekend in the Arab region. The pic will debut stateside on December 8.

The Saudi premiere was attended by Bousman and producer Lee Nelson (The Ice Road). Others in attendance included stars Elham Ali, Samer Ismail, Suad Abdullah, Ibrahim Samman, Muhanad Al-Hamdi, Fahad Alqahtani, Baraa Alem, and Ghassan Massoud as well as co-producer Raul Talwar and executive producer Niko Ruokosuo.

“Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh with a packed audience was surreal. I have been so lucky in my career to shoot all over the world, and Cello took me to Saudi Arabia, Prague & Ireland,” Bousman said following the debut screening.

“It was such a fantastical adventure getting to work and play in such different and unique areas. We had the great fortune to work with superstars of the Arab region. Then, add Jeremy Irons and Tobin Bell into the mix it & was a once in a lifetime experience.”

Nelson added: “The production was comprised of an international team of artists from all over the world. Our 250-person crew came from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Canada, Italy, Egypt, Africa, India, Ireland, Tunisia, Jordan, Dubai, and the UK. It was such a humbling experience to be at the center of so many talented people at the top of their trade. It was a truly global collaboration.”...

U.S. director Darren Lynn Bousman’s English and Arabic-language horror film “The Cello,” starring Jeremy Irons and “Saw” star Tobin Bell, is set to open theatrically across Saudi Arabia on Thursday, marking a significant moment in the kingdom’s moviemaking ambitions.

The high-end chiller, about a cellist who finds out his new instrument comes with a centuries-old curse, is generating local buzz and robust ticket pre-sales following its gala premiere on Sept. 8 at Riyadh’s Muvi Cinemas multiplex.

Bousman – who is best known for his work on the “Saw” franchise – attended the “Cello” launch along with several of the film’s Arab stars, including Saudi actress Elham Ali and Syrian actor Samer Ismail (“The Day I Lost My Shadow”), plus the film’s U.S. producer Lee Nelson (“The Ice Road”), co-producer Raul Talwar and exec producer Niko Ruokosuo.

“Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh with a packed audience was surreal,...

Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II-iv, Spiral) is back with brand new horror movie Cello, which just had its World Premiere on September 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the Muvi Cinemas on famed Riyadh Boulevard. The film has already pre-sold well over 15,000 tickets for the upcoming opening weekend in the Arab region and will release in North America December 8.

While you wait, check out some first-look images from Cello below. The first two are being exclusively shared by Bloody Disgusting, while the others were sent out to press today.

Cello tells the story of a cellist who finds out his new cello comes with a centuries old curse. The film is written by Turki Alalshikh, a best-selling poet, musician and lyricist, based on his novel, and is produced by Rozam Media, Alamiya, and Envision Media Arts.

After the premiere, Director Darren Lynn Bousman said, “Getting to experience the movie in Riyadh...

Last year, we shared a first look at Tobin Bell and Jeremy Irons in Darren Lynn Bousman’s newest horror offering, Cello.

Now, we have an exclusive new shot from the upcoming horror film as well as details on Bousman’s crazy side project, Attic Acquisitions, which offers fans a chance to own some truly unique collectibles.

First, Cello, which stars Academy Academy Award, Tony, Emmy, and SAG Award winning actor Jeremy Irons and Saw‘s Tobin Bell, tells story of an aspiring cellist who learns the cost of his brand-new cello is a lot more insidious than he first thought. Syrian actor Samer Ismail and Saudi actress Elham Ali also star.

“This movie has been a beast,” Bousman tells us when we asked about the film’s progress. “We finally finished it a few weeks back and are currently in the middle of a deal for its release. So,...

There is huge investment in the Saudi locations infrastructure but what is the reality on the ground?

If you build it, will they come? Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in creating a world-class locations hub. But what is the reality of shooting in this vast country of which little is still known?

Less than four years after it lifted its ban on cinemas, Saudi Arabia’s aim of becoming the Middle East’s foremost filming location seems to be bearing fruit with two major Hollywood movies shooting in the country. The cameras have just started rolling on Thunder Road’s...

In our fifth edition of Arab Stars of Tomorrow, Screen International puts the spotlight on six emerging Middle Eastern and North African talents.

In our fifth edition of Arab Stars of Tomorrow, Screen International puts the spotlight on six emerging Middle Eastern and North African talents in the fields of acting and directing.

This year’s selection features Egyptian actress Bassant Ahmed, Kuwaiti filmmaker Maysaa Almumin, Emirati actor Khalifa Al-Jassem, Tunisian actress Zbeida Belhajamor, Saudi director Sara Mesfer and Sudanese actor Mustafa Shehata.

For the third year running, the edition has been organised in cooperation with the Cairo International Film Festival.

Exclusive: Here are your first look images of Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci) and Saw star Tobin Bell in recently-wrapped horror movie Cello, which we brought you news of last week.

Filming completed last week on the under-the-radar English- and Arabic-language feature, which was filmed in Saudi Arabia and Czech Republic by Saw filmmaker Darren Lynn Bousman.

Also starring are Syrian actor Samer Ismail (The Day I Lost My Shadow) and Saudi actress Elham Ali (Ashman), in the story of an aspiring cellist who learns that the cost of his brand-new cello is a lot more insidious than he first thought. Pic is scripted by Turki Al Alshikh, based on his novel.

The film heralds from The Ice Road producer Lee Nelson of Envision Media Art. Exec producers include Sultan Al Muheisen and Niko Ruokosuo of Saudi outfit Alamiya and David Tish for Envision Media Arts. The movie was financed by Saudi firm Rozam Media,...

Exclusive: Here’s an interesting one. Production has just wrapped on Cello, an under-the-radar English- and Arabic-language horror movie shot in Saudi Arabia by Saw filmmaker Darren Lynn Bousman.

Oscar winner Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci) and Saw star Tobin Bell lead cast alongside Syrian actor Samer Ismail (The Day I Lost My Shadow) and Saudi actress Elham Ali (Ashman), in the story of an aspiring cellist who learns that the cost of his brand-new cello is a lot more insidious than he first thought. Pic is scripted by Turki Al Alshikh, based on his novel.

The film, shot on location in Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic, heralds from The Ice Road producer Lee Nelson of Envision Media Art. Exec producers include Sultan Al Muheisen and Niko Ruokosuo of Saudi outfit Alamiya and David Tish for Envision Media Arts. The movie was financed by Saudi firm Rozam Media, which...

The first 15 minutes of “The Day I Lost My Shadow” pack a punch that never quite returns to Soudade Kaadan’s fiction debut. Set in Damascus and environs at the start of the war in 2012, the film follows a mother whose search for a simple cooking gas cylinder leads her into a nightmare journey of internecine conflict that robs people of their shadows when it doesn’t snuff out their lives. Shooting in Lebanon largely with exiled Syrian cast and crew, Kaadan aims for a cinéma vérité style with touches of magic realism, yet characterless visuals aren’t able to achieve the desired poetic impact. Still, the topicality, together with Venice’s Lion of the Future prize for best debut, assures an active festival life.

Panic appears to overtake a Damascus neighborhood as pharmacist Sana (Sawsan Arsheed) and her young son Khalil (Ahmad Morhaf Al Ali) race upstairs to their apartment,...

The initiative, highlighting five emerging film talents from the Arab world, is presented at Dubai International Film Festival.

Screen International has unveiled its first ever Arab Stars of Tomorrow, spotlighting five of the hottest up-and-coming talents from across the Arab world.

A partnership with Dubai International Film Festival (Diff), the showcase flags actors and directors who are expected to make waves on the festival circuit in coming years

The showcase is curated by Screen’s France and Middle East correspondent Melanie Goodfellow, who conducted in-depth research including interviews with leading producers, distributors, sales agents and festival programmers with knowledge of the region.

“There is so much talent in this region that it was difficult selecting just five names,” said Goodfellow. “In their different ways, each of them has something special that makes them worth watching in the future.”

The five selected talents include Lebanese director Mounia Akl, whose short film Submarine about a world drowning in rubbish...