News

Touzani’s previous feature Adam premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard and was Morocco’s Oscar candidate.

Berlin-based Films Boutique has taken world rights to The Blue Caftan, the second film by Maryam Touzani. The company has also announced early deals on the film, due to be delivered later this spring. It has sold to Japan (Longride), Switzerland (Filmcoopi) and Spain (Karma) and will be distributed by Ad Vitam in France.

The Blue Caftan is billed by its producer Nabil Ayouch as “a deeply moving gaze into the stifled homosexuality of a man within his marriage.”

The film follows Halim...

Films Boutique has scored strong first-phase sales with top arthouse distributors around the globe on Maryam Touzani’s female friendship drama “Adam” – confirming the market appeal of a title which has been selected as Morocco’s entry for the newly-named Academy Award for best international feature film.

The deals news comes on the eve of “Adam’s” first screening in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the Toronto Film Festival.

Of major territories, Films Boutique has closed Japan (Longride), Spain (Karma Films), Italy (Movies Inspired), Australia (Sharmill), Sweden (Fokets Bio), Brazil (Arteplex) and Argentina, Chile and Uruguay (Mirada).

Switzerland (Filmcoopi), the Czech Republic (Artcam) and Bulgaria (Art Fest) are also licensed. As already announced, Ad Vitam, a major force in Cannes Festival buys, and Cinéart, another mainstay of Europe’s arthouse business, will distribute “Adam” in France and Benelux respectively.

“Adam” has raised interest among North American, U.K. and German buyers,...

Maryam Touzani’s debut feature and Cannes-player “Adam” has been selected as Morocco’s submission to the 2020 Academy Award for best international feature film – the first time that a picture from a woman director has been chosen to represent the country.

The pic is co-written and produced by Nabil Ayouch. Touzani previously starred in, and co-wrote, Ayouch’s 2017 hit “Razzia.”

The seven-person selection committee was presided by Moroccan director Noureddine Lakhmari (“Casanegra”).

The film received a standing ovation on its world premiere at Cannes, and won an audience award at the Angouleme French Film Festival in August. Berlin-based Films Boutique acquired international sales rights to the pic before Cannes; early distribution deals have been inked in France with Ad Vitam and in Benelux with Cinéart.

The pic turns on the difficulties faced by an unwed heavily pregnant country girl in conservative Morocco. Samia – who has been rejected by the father...

16 projects will be presented during the event.

Miptv and Canneseries have unveiled the 16 projects due to be presented at the second edition of their In Development pitching event, a key component of their joint initiative the Cannes Creative Drama Forum.

Aimed at fast-tracking drama series production the forum, running during Canneseries (April 5-10) and Miptv (April 8-11), marks its second edition this year.

he selection includes Nabil Ayouch’s upcoming thriller Black-Out, produced under the banners of his Casablanca-based Ali N’Productions and Paris-based Les Films du Nouveau Monde.

It marks a first foray into high-end TV drama for Ayouch...