News

The eighth edition of Screen International’s talent-spotting initiative Arab Stars of Tomorrow will once again launch at this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival (December 5-13).

2024’s selection of five rising talents from across the Mena region will be unveiled on Saturday, December 7 in Screen’s second Red Sea print daily and on Screendaily.com.

For the second time, the initiative has been held in conjunction with Red Sea and Film AlUla, which is hosting a photoshoot for the five selected talents, including at the first Unesco world heritage site in Saudi Arabia, the Hegra Archaealogical Site (Al Hjr).

On Saturday,...

Exclusive: Marvel’s Moon Knight Director Mohamed Diab has revealed fresh details about his new feature Lion, starring Egyptian megastar Mohamed Ramadan in a role inspired by Ancient Rome rebel slave Spartacus.

“It’s a period piece, a kind of Spartacus meets Braveheart set in 1850s Egypt,” said Diab, talking to Deadline on the fringes of Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival.

Currently mid-way through shooting in Cairo, Lion marks Diab’s first picture back in his native Egypt since 2016 breakthrough Clash. In between times, he made the Palestine-set drama Amira, followed by directing Moon Knight for Marvel.

Diab has revealed very little about the new movie, which was originally announced under the title of Black Lion and is being billed as his most ambitious Arab-language production to date.

“It’s about slavery in the 1850s. It’s an epic film. It’s not based on a real person but inspired by true events.

Exclusive: Dubai-based global management and production company 75East has signed Egyptian director Karim Shaaban, who is currently in production on his new feature 6 Days in Cairo.

He is the latest signing in a growing roster of talent on the 75East books since its launch last December with a focus on Swana (Southwest Asia and North Africa), alongside the likes of Jordanian Oscar-nominee Bassel Ghandour (Theeb) and Egyptian Palme d’Or-nominee Abu Bakr Shawky (Yomeddine).

Shaaban most recently directed the short film I Don’t Care if the World Collapses, starring Egyptian superstar Salma Abu Deif as an ambitious advertizing producer whose path crosses an actor excited about landing his first role in a commercials shoot.

The short premiered this year at the Cleveland International Film Festival, followed by a US Oscar-qualifying festival tour including Palm Springs International ShortFest and Nashville Film Festival. The film was self-produced, written by Wael Hamdy,...

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 Arab Cinema Center has published this year's “Golden 101”, its annual list of the 101 most influential figures in Arab cinema in its 22nd edition of Arab Cinema Magazine, which is being circulated at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival and can be accessed on the Marché du Film website.

Celebrating individuals and institutions who have made the most significant impact on the Arab film industry over the past twelve months, this year's Golden 101 comprises of 13 directors, 16 producers, 14 actors, five crew members, 18 distributors from 12 institutions, 12 executives from 10 governmental cinema institutions, 11 executives from seven video-on-demand platforms, 11 representatives from seven festivals, and seven executives from film financing institutions.

Commenting on this year's Golden 101 list, Colin Brown, Mad Solutions' Managing Partner for International Operations said; “These are the artists, artisans, and power brokers who have distinguished themselves this past year – and the rest of the world should pay attention to them if...

It’s a momentous Cannes for Cairo-based film professionals Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab as they mark the 15th anniversary of the creation of marketing and distribution company Mad Solutions and the 10th anniversary of spin-off the Arab Cinema Center (Acc).

Under these banners, the pair have been at the forefront of promoting Arab cinema internationally and played a part in growing its prominence on the world stage.

Acc kicks off its 10th Cannes program on Friday with a panel entitled “The Arab New Wave: The Actors” on the market’s Plage des Palmes venue.

Speakers on the panel will include iconic Egyptian actress Yousra, Mbc Studios Saudi Arabia General Manager Zeinab Abu Alsamh, top Lebanese TV presenter Raya Abi Rashed, Egyptian superstar Ahmed Malek and Yagoub Alfarhan, star of Saudi Arabia’s first film in Official Selection Norah as well as casting director Cassandra Han.

The swanky location and...

So many celebrities have descended on Paris for the most fashionable time of the year – Fashion Week!

On Friday (January 19), a slew of stars stepped out to attend the Dior Homme Menswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show.

The guestlist included the likes of Rita Ora, Nicholas Hoult and Kate and Lila Moss. That’s still barely scratching the surface, too. We pulled together pics of everyone and arranged them for you to easily peruse inside.

Head inside to see all of the pics from the fashion show…

Keep scrolling to see photos of all of the celebrities at the Dior Homme Menswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show…

Lewis Hamilton

Rita Ora

Kate Moss

Lila Moss

Honey Dijon

Bryanboy

Baptiste Giabiconi

Amanda Lear

Nicholas Hoult

Miss Fame

Aron Piper

Alexander Roth

Bertrand Bonello

Edouard Philipponnat

Mohammed Al Turki

Chris Ivery

Saint Levant

Benito Skinner

Chase Hudson

Pusha T

Luther Ford

Younes Bendjima

Nic Kaufmann

Marc Forne

Yeonjun,...

Mad Celebrity — the talent management subsidiary of the pan-Arab film and TV company Mad Solutions — has signed Tunisian actor and writer Majd Mastoura, French Lebanese actor Isabelle Zighondi, and Saudi actor, producer and director Amawri Ezayah to the roster of its Mad Rising Celebrity unit, and visual artist, producer and Dop Mostafa El Kashef, who will be joining Mad Crew Celebrity.

Mastoura is best known for his work on Mohamed Ben Attia’s “Hedi” — for which he received a Silver Bear for best actor from the Berlin Film Festival, making him the first-ever Arab actor to receive the award — and Léonor Serraille’s “Mother and Son,” which world premiered in Competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

His most recent project is Ben Attia’s surreal Tunisian drama feature “Behind the Mountains,” which world premiered in the Horizons Section of this year’s Venice Film Festival and is holding its Arab...

The initiative celebrates Arab talent and highlights the hottest up-and-coming actors, writers and directors from the region.

Screen International has unveiled the five emerging Middle East and North Africa talents in the fields of acting and directing selected for the seventh edition of Arab Stars Of Tomorrow.

This year’s line-up comprises Adwa Bader, the actress and poet from Saudi Arabia; Jordan’s Cynthia Madanat Sharaiha, director; Egyptian writer and director Morad Mostafa; Palestinian actor Muhammad Abed El Rahman; and fellow Jordanian actress Noor Taher.

The initiative celebrates Arab talent and highlights the hottest up-and-coming actors, writers and directors who...

This year’s selection of five rising talents will be unveiled on Friday, December 1

The seventh edition of Screen International’s talent-spotting initiative Arab Stars of Tomorrow will once again launch at this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival (November 30-December 9).

This year’s selection of five rising talents will be unveiled on Friday, December 1 in Screen’s second Red Sea print daily and on Screendaily.com.

On Saturday, December 2 the stars will take part in a panel discussion at 2pm Ast at the festival hosted by Screen, following a breakfast reception

Arab Stars of Tomorrow celebrates Arab talent...

Prominent Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, whose epic “Kira and El Gen” about local resistance to British occupation recently scored at the local box office, is being feted with a career award by the El Gouna Film Festival.

The Egyptian fest, running Oct. 13-20 in the Red Sea resort roughly 250 miles south of Cairo, is also paying tribute to the Sudanese Film Group, a groundbreaking collective of filmmakers, and is planning an homage to late great British-French icon Jane Birkin.

Hamed (pictured above) broke out internationally in 2006 with his bold adaptation of Alaa Aswany’s bestselling novel “The Yacoubian Building” that became a game-changer in Egytian cinema due to the way it depicted homosexuality, Islamic fundamentalism and government corruption. After “Yacoubian” become a local hit and travelled widely Hamed scored again big time with “The Blue Elephant,” a thriller with supernatural elements and its sequel “The Blue Elephant 2” that more...

Exclusive: Mad Solutions has acquired world sales rights to Egyptian director Amr Salama’s short film 60 Egyptian Pounds ahead of its world premiere as the opening film of the upcoming El Gouna Film Festival.

Salama is one of Egypt’s most popular directors with recent credits including Shahid-commissioned drama Bimbo, starring Ahmed Malek as a drug dealer-turned-detective; fantasy feature Bara El Manhag, Netlfix series Paranormal and Toronto hit Sheikh Jackson.

60 Egyptian Pounds grew out of Salama’s fascination and love of Egypt’s burgeoning hip-hop scene as well as desire to shed light on domestic abuse.

The short stars real-life Egyptian rap star Ziad Zaza, in his first big screen role, as a fictitious rapper with an abusive father, who takes it upon himself to end his family’s suffering once and for all.

“Working on 60 pounds was a liberating and refreshing experience,” says Salama. “I was curious to explore...

Clockwise from top left: Terminator: Genisys (Paramount Pictures), Non-Stop (Universal Pictures), River Wild (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)Photo: The A.V. Club

Now that you’ve adjusted to Netflix’s new pricing plans and added your out-of-household members, it’s time to check out what the streamer will be adding to...

Kitchen nightmares are all the rage these days – last year’s drama The Bear brought emotion and tender characterisation to the stressful setting of a deep-in-the-hole Chicago sandwich shop, while one-take-for-real movie Boiling Point got audiences hooked with its simmering tension and immersive shooting approach. And it’s been in the works for a little while now that Boiling Point is spinning onto the small screen in a BBC series that won’t continue the one-shot set-up, but will take viewers back into hell’s kitchen – and explore what happens next for Stephen Graham’s chaotic cook Andy.

The BBC has now confirmed that shooting on the series is underway – it’ll be a five-part drama with episodes running at one hour each. And while Graham’s Sous Chef Carly who’ll be at the centre of the show, now running her own restaurant with much of Andy’s team...

Full casting has been revealed for Boiling Point, as filming begins on the brand new five-part television series for BBC One and BBC iPlayer in Manchester.

As previously announced, Vinette Robinson (Carly), Stephen Graham (Andy) and Hannah Walters (Emily) will reprise their roles from the multi-award-winning film. They will be joined by the film’s co-stars Ray Panthaki (Freeman), Gary Lamont (Dean), Áine Rose Daly (Robyn),Taz Skylar (Billy), Daniel Larkai (Jake) Stephen McMillan (Jamie), Hannah Traylen (Holly) and Izuka Hoyle (Camille).

Joining them are new cast members Stephen Odubola, (Johnny), Shaun Fagan (Bolton),), Joel MacCormack (Liam) and Ahmed Malek (Musa). BAFTA award-winner Cathy Tyson joins the cast as Carly’s mum, Vivian and newcomer Missy Haysom makes their television debut playing Kit.

Also in news – Willem Dafoe to reunite with Robert Eggers for ‘Nosferatu’ remake

The series picks up six months on from where the film left off and...

Filming has begun in Manchester, U.K., on “Boiling Point,” the five-part BBC series that follows on from the award-winning film of the same name.

The one shot film followed head chef Andy (Stephen Graham), who wrangles his team on the busiest day of the year. The series picks up six months on from where the film left off and sees sous chef Carly (Vinette Robinson) as head chef at her own restaurant, with many of Andy’s original team alongside her. As the pressure mounts to keep the restaurant full, Carly begins to feel the magnitude of responsibility that comes with running her own place.

As previously revealed, Robinson, Graham and Hannah Walters will reprise their roles from the multi award-winning film. They will be joined by the film’s co-stars Ray Panthaki, Gary Lamont, Áine Rose Daly, Taz Skylar, Daniel Larkai, Stephen McMillan, Hannah Traylen and Izuka Hoyle.

The Swimmers is a saga of grit and determination arising out of a desire to escape the conflict zone of Syria by two sisters and pursue the passions of their lie. The topic chosen is contextual- the aspiration of citizens caught in zones of conflict to try to escape it and have a meaningful life without a morbid fear of looming death in myriad formats looming over the shoulders.

Sportspersons have the burning desire continuously simmering below their skins, to make a mark of their prowess in their chosen fields and announce their arrival through a public arena and create a spectacle. The Swimmers is a gritty tale of two sisters Yusra Mardini and Sara Mardini, enacted by two real life sisters- Natahie Issa and Manal Issa, who try and escape the conflict zone of war in their backyard in Syria and arrive in Germany to aspire to lead a...

Our sixth edition of Arab Stars of Tomorrow spotlights rising Middle Eastern and North African talents.

In our sixth edition of Arab Stars of Tomorrow, Screen International spotlights five emerging Middle Eastern and North African talents in the fields of acting and directing.

This year’s selection comprises Saudi writer/director Mohamed Al Salman, Moroccan writer/director Sofia Alaoui, Lebanese writer/director Dania Bdeir, Tunisian actor Adam Bessa and Lebanese actor Ziad Jallad.

The showcase has been organised in cooperation with the Red Sea International Film Festival for the first time. At a launch panel held at the festival on...

Talent-spotting initiative celebrates Arab talent who are primed to make their mark in the international industry.

The sixth edition of Screen International’s talent-spotting initiative Arab Stars of Tomorrow will launch at this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival (December 1-10) for the first time.

The 2022 Arab Stars of Tomorrow will be unveiled on ScreenDaily on Sunday December 4, accompanied by a panel discussion at 12pm Ast (9am GMT) at the Red Sea film festival hosted by Screen’s international news editor Michael Rosser and followed by a reception. The line-up will also be featured in an upcoming print edition of Screen.

The Swimmers is a 2022 biographical drama movie directed by Sally El Hosaini starring Manal Issa and Nathalie Issa.

A powerful movie in its sincerity. It is impossible not be moved by this film that tells a story of the incredible strength and resilience of its protagonists. With its social-realism and documentary techniques in some sequences, it shows us the harshness of the reality of many, as well as giving us a beautiful story about resilience.

Premise

Two heroic young sisters set out on a voyage that will require resilience and conviction. They leave behind a war-torn Syria, intent on proving to the world their swimming skills they are selected to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The Swimmers (2022) Movie Review

A movie that counts on a potent screenplay that is well developed providing us not only the story the two brave sisters, but also a good depiction of the context they...

Click here to read the full article.

A film examining the plight of asylum seekers in the U.K. is in the works from a team of filmmakers, some of whom have firsthand experiences as refugees seeking asylum themselves.

Entitled Matar, the drama comes from director and activist Hassan Akkad, who won a BAFTA for his BBC documentary Exodus: Our Journey to Europe, which used footage from his own journey as a Syrian refugee to the U.K.

Set to highlight the struggles of asylum seekers in the hostile environment of London’s streets and the hardships faced by thousands of migrants trying to exist in this country, the script is based on the experiences of Ayman Alhussein, a Syrian refugee and cinematographer. Alhussein, who lent his expertise to and had a small role on Netflix’s Toronto-opener The Swimmers, also chronicling the struggles of refugees journeying into Europe, will...

This review originally ran September 8, 2022, in conjunction with the film’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The last decade has seen a plethora of movies about the crisis in Syria, most of them hard-hitting documentaries tracking the brutal effects of the war and the plight of those who’ve left and those who’ve stayed. At the same time, there’s never been a shortage of inspirational sports films where plucky athletes overcome obstacles to realize their dreams.

But “The Swimmers,” which opened the Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday, is a rare mixture of the two: It’s an inspirational sports movie about a pair of Syrian swimmers, sisters Yusra and Sara Mardini, who fled from their home in Damascus during the Syrian civil war in 2015 to Europe, where they might have a chance to advance their athletic careers and swim in the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The Swimmers is a 2022 drama movie directed by Sally El Hosaini starring Manal Issa and Nathalie Issa.

Premise

From war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics, two young sisters embark on a risky voyage, putting their hearts and their swimming skills to heroic use.

Release Date

November 23, 2022.

Where to Watch The Swimmers

Netflix

Cast

Manal Issa / Sarah Mardini

Nathalie Issa / Yusra Mardini

Matthias Schweighöfer / Sven

Ali Suliman / Ezzat Mardini

James Floyd / Emad

Ahmed Malek / Nizar

Kinda Alloush / Mervat Mardini

Nahel Tzegai / Shada

Carlotta De Gregori / Marlena Kristov (Olympic swimmer)

Victoria Valcheva / Kostana

See full credits >>...

Netflix has debuted the trailer for Sally El Hosaini’s ‘The Swimmers.’

Based on a true story, The story follows the journey from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics. Two young sisters embark on a harrowing journey as refugees, putting both their hearts and champion swimming skills to heroic use.

Directed by Sally El Hosaini, the film stars Nathalie Issa (Yusra), Manal Issa (Sara), Matthias Schweighöfer (Sven), Ahmed Malek (Nizar), James Krishna Floyd (Emad), Nahel Tzegai (Shada) and Kinda Alloush (Mervat) with Ali Suliman (Ezzat).

Also in trailers – “You’re supposed to be in rehab…” Sheridan Smith stars in trailer for ‘Rosie Molloy Gives Up Everything’

The film hits select cinemas on November 11 and on Netflix from November 23rd.

The post Trailer lands for Sally El Hosaini’s ‘The Swimmers’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.

"Swim for me, for everyone who died trying to find a new life. Swim for all of us." Netflix has debuted the full trailer for The Swimmers, a true story movie made by a Welsh-Egyptian filmmaker named Sally El-Hosaini. This already premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last month, and will be out on Netflix later this month. From war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics, two sisters embark on a harrowing journey as refugees, putting both their hearts and champion swimming skills to heroic use. Based on the true story of the miraculous journey made by swimming sisters Yusra & Sarah Mardini who fled as refugees from war-torn Syria all the way to the 2016 Rio Olympics. Starring Nathalie Issa (as Yusra) and Manal Issa (as Sara) as the two sisters, plus Matthias Schweighöfer, Ahmed Malek, James Krishna Floyd, Nahel Tzegai, with Kinda Alloush and Ali Suliman. Worth a watch! This really does look like a remarkable,...

You often hear that reality is often more amazing than any fiction. That’s exactly the case with the story that inspired the upcoming film, “The Swimmers.”

As seen in the trailer for “The Swimmers,” the film follows the incredible true story of two sisters who escaped Syria as refugees with dreams of one day competing in the Olympic Games as swimmers. The drama stars Nathalie Issa, Manal Issa, Matthias Schweighöfer, Ahmed Malek, James Krishna Floyd, Nahel Tzegai, Kinda Alloush, and Ali Suliman.

Continue reading ‘The Swimmers’ Trailer: Syrian Refugees Dream Of Olympic Gold In Sally El Hosaini’s Netflix Drama at The Playlist.

On Thursday evening The Swimmers received a four minute standing ovation after its premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

This soaring epic dramatizes the true story of two sisters who left their home in war-torn Syria for a new life in Europe — and the chance to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

An epic adventure drawn from the most pressing of global stories, The Swimmers tells the remarkable true tale of sisters Yusra and Sara Mardini, who fled their home in war-torn Damascus to seek a new life in Europe and earn the chance to compete in the Olympics. Directed by Sally El Hosaini (My Brother the Devil) and written by Jack Thorne (TIFF ’19’s The Aeronauts), this is a moving story of two young women refugees, and their inspiring reach for a better life.

The Hollywood Reporter’s Etan Vlessing writes: “It’s an inspirational story,” director El-Hosaini said...

Click here to read the full article.

Both adversity and triumph are in abundant supply in Sally El Hosaini’s The Swimmers, an undeniably powerful if inescapably episodic drama chronicling the harrowing, real-life flight taken by a pair of sisters from war-ravaged Syria to the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Ushering in the first business-as-usual edition of the Toronto International Film Festival since 2019, the film’s world premiere should set the stage for a buoyant response ahead of its Nov. 23 Netflix bow — particularly for the performances of the siblings cast as Olympics hopeful Yusra Mardini and her older sister Sara.

Prior to the outbreak of civil war in Syria, the rebellious Sara (Manal Issa) and her studious younger sister Yusra (Nathalie Issa) have been living the life of average teenagers in sun-drenched, suburban Damascus when not swimming competitively under the tutelage of their coach father (Ali Suliman).

But when the growing violence hits too close to home,...

Netflix has a number of high-profile movies coming to the Toronto Film Festival, just as it did at Venice and Telluride, but a less heralded title with no instantly recognizable star names was chosen to open the fest tonight, and The Swimmers may turn out to be a surprise winner for the streamer when it debuts this fall. It certainly reverses the curse of some of TIFF’s less successful opening-nighters.

Ostensibly about a triumphant appearance at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, The Swimmers is really a moving and suspenseful story of the plight of refugees looking for a better life against all odds. The power of this movie is it turns out to be an unlikely underdog sports saga about a couple of Syrian sisters who show remarkable swimming skill in school and who are so impressive they could be Olympic caliber. But before you wonder if this will turn into a waterlogged Rocky,...

At nearly two and a half hours, Netflix’s Syrian migrant drama “The Swimmers” is a long sit that goes to extraordinary efforts — from a treacly score to constant reminders that its protagonists are, you know, swimmers — to try and make you feel good, or at least feel anything. The problem is that , partially through overheated use of the pop-powered anthems of Sia. Who knew that radio-friendly hits like “Titanium” and “Unstoppable” could serve as potent theme songs for a drama about a pair of Syrian sisters who flee their war-bombed homeland for a better life in Europe?

“The Swimmers,” which is written by El Hosaini and Jack Thorne, is based on the true story of the Olympian-anointed Mardini sisters, who left their battle-torn Damascus in 2015 by boat on a treacherous path to Germany, where there’s hope things might be better. The movie, centered on Sara and Yusra, who...

The Swimmers Trailer — Sally El-Hosaini‘s The Swimmers (2022) teaser trailer has been released by Netflix. The The Swimmers trailer stars Nathalie Issa, Manal Issa, Matthias Schweighöfer, Ahmed Malek, James Krishna Floyd, Nahel Tzegai, Kinda Alloush, and Ali Suliman. Crew Sally El-Hosaini and Jack Thorne wrote the screenplay for The Swimmers. “Produced by Working Title’s [...]

Continue reading: The Swimmers (2022) Teaser Trailer: Two Refugee Sisters Travel from War-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics...

"We need to move forward. We're not allowed to give up." Netflix has revealed a teaser trailer for a film titled The Swimmers, made by a Welsh-Egyptian filmmaker named Sally El-Hosaini. This is premiering soon at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival, hence this trailer arriving now, before it arrives for streaming on Netflix this November. From war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics, two sisters embark on a harrowing journey as refugees, putting both their hearts and champion swimming skills to heroic use. Based on the true story of the miraculous journey made by swimming sisters Yusra & Sarah Mardini who fled as refugees from war-torn Syria all the way to the 2016 Rio Olympics. Starring Nathalie Issa (as Yusra) and Manal Issa (as Sara) as the two sisters, plus Matthias Schweighöfer, Ahmed Malek, James Krishna Floyd, Nahel Tzegai, with Kinda Alloush and Ali Suliman. This is a fantastic teaser, with David Guetta's song "Titanium ft.

Click here to read the full article.

Sally El Hosaini’s drama The Swimmers, the true-life story of Syrian refugees-turned-Olympic athletes the Mardini sisters, will be the opening night film at the 18th Zurich International Film Festival.

The Swimmers, which will have its world premiere in Toronto, will have its European bow in Zurich on Sept. 22. El Hosaini together with the film’s stars Nathalie Issa and Matthias Schweighöfer and sisters Sara and Yusra Mardini will attend the Zurich premiere.

Produced by Working Title for Netflix, El Hosaini’s feature follows the Mardini sisters’ journey after they fled the civil war in Syria in 2015, trying to escape across the Aegean Sea to Europe. When the motor of the dinghy they were ridding on cut out, the sisters, both champion swimmers, helped save the other passengers. They went on to settle in Germany, where Yusra began training again. She competed at...

Making its European premiere, Sally El Hosaini’s The Swimmers has been set as the opening film of the 18th Zurich Film Festival. Based on the inspirational true-life story of the Mardini sisters, it will screen on September 22 at Zurich’s Convention Center. It will earlier world premiere as the opening night gala presentation in Toronto.

The Working Title film for Netflix is directed and written by El Hosaini and co-written by Jack Thorne. It follows the harrowing journey of two young sisters from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“The Swimmers is a deeply moving and timely film about a miraculous journey,” says Zff Artistic Director Christian Jungen. “It shines a light on the refugee crisis, but is also up-lifting and inspiring. We couldn’t imagine a better opening night film. Sally El Hosaini, who already with her first feature My Brother The Devil won an award at Sundance,...

Sally El Hosaini’s drama “The Swimmers,” based on the inspirational true-life story of the Mardini sisters, will open the 18th Zurich Film Festival on Sept. 22. It will be the film’s European premiere.

The film is produced by Working Title for Netflix. It is directed and written by El Hosaini and co-written by Jack Thorne, based on a true story. It follows the journey from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics of two young sisters, who embark on a harrowing journey as refugees, putting both their hearts and champion swimming skills to heroic use.

El Hosaini will be joined at the screening by cast members Nathalie Issa and Matthias Schweighöfer, along with Sara and Yusra Mardini, and Yusra’s swimming coach Sven Spannenkrebs.

“’The Swimmers’ is a deeply moving and timely film about a miraculous journey,” Christian Jungen, the festival’s artistic director, said. “It shines a light on the refugee crisis,...

Sally El Hosaini’s Netflix movie The Swimmers will be making its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival as the opening-night film on September 8 at Roy Thomson Hall.

The pic, based on a true story, follows the journey of two young sisters who fled war-torn Syria as refugees and made their way to the 2016 Rio Olympics to compete in swimming.

Deadline told you Tuesday that CAA signed El Hosaini.

“I was deeply moved by the story of these two sisters and wowed by the storytelling,” said TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey. “The Swimmers was the very best kind of surprise when we saw it this summer — an exciting, epic journey and the arrival of an important filmmaker. I’m thrilled that audiences in Toronto will be the first to discover Sally El Hosaini’s remarkable film, and that this year on our Opening Night we can honor everyone who risks everything to reach a better,...

Sally El Hosaini’s refugee drama “The Swimmers” will open the 47th Toronto International Film Festival.

The film follows the journey made by swimming sisters Yusra and Sarah Mardini who fled as refugees from war-torn Syria all the way to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

In 2015, after their house was destroyed in the Syrian Civil War, the Mardini sisters decided to flee the country. They made their way to Lebanon and then Turkey, where they arranged to be smuggled into Greece by dinghy. In the middle of the Aegean Sea, the motor of the dinghy, overcrowded with refugees, cut out, and the Mardini sisters and others who could swim, ensured the safety of the passengers.

The film is based on a screenplay by El Hosaini and BAFTA winner Jack Thorne (“Help”).

The roles of Yusra and Sarah Mardini are played by Lebanese sisters Manal and Nathalie Issa (“My Favourite Fabric”). Manal Issa...

The 2022 Toronto International Film Festival lineup is coming further into focus, with the Opening Night selection now revealed.

Netflix and Working Title film “The Swimmers” is confirmed to open the 2022 festival on Thursday, September 8. “The Swimmers” follows the journey from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics of two elite swimmers who are sisters and is written and directed by Sally El Hosaini and co-written by multi-award-winner Jack Thorne.

“I was deeply moved by the story of these two sisters and wowed by the storytelling,” TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said in a press statement. “‘The Swimmers’ was the very best kind of surprise when we saw it this summer — an exciting, epic journey and the arrival of an important filmmaker. I’m thrilled that audiences in Toronto will be the first to discover Sally El Hosaini’s remarkable film, and that this year on our Opening Night we can honor everyone...

Click here to read the full article.

The Working Title and Netflix drama The Swimmers, about real-life sisters on an inspiring odyssey as refugees from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics, will open the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 8 at Roy Thomson Hall.

Lebanese actresses and real-life sisters Manal and Nathalie Issa play sisters Yusra and Sarah Mardini in the film from writer and director Sally El Hosaini, who co-wrote the script for The Swimmers with Enola Holmes scribe Jack Thorne.

The sisters, fleeing their home in Damascus, had to swim in choppy Mediterranean seas to reach the Greek island of Lesbos as asylum seekers before going on to compete in the pool at the Rio Olympic Games.

“I’m ecstatic. What an honor and privilege to open TIFF with the inspirational true-life story of the Mardini sisters. A city as multicultural and diverse as Toronto is the perfect place...

Filmmaker arrives with long-awaited follow-up to 2012’s ‘My Brother The Devil’.

Netflix and Working Title’s refugee drama The Swimmers from Sally El Hosaini will open the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), marking the streamer’s second opening-night slot of the upcoming fall festival season.

El Hosaini, a Screen Star of Tomorrow 2009 who makes her long-awaited follow-up to 2012 drama My Brother The Devil, co-wrote the screenplay with Jack Thorne based on a true story about two young sisters on a harrowing journey from war-torn Syria to compete as swimmers at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Manal Issa, Nathalie Issa, Ahmed Malek, Matthias Schweighöfer,...

Sally El Hosaini’s “The Swimmers” has been chosen as the Opening Night Gala Presentation for the 47th Toronto International Film Festival.

Based on the true story of Yusra and Sarah Mardini, “The Swimmers” chronicles the journey of two sisters who flee Syria in the midst of war and eventually make it to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

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In August 2015, the Mardini sisters were on the third leg of their journey, a boat trip from Turkey to Greece, when the overcrowded vessel began to sink. After more than three hours of swimming, they were able to propel the passengers to safety. Less than a year later, 18-year-old Yusra made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games, followed by the Tokyo Summer Games four years later.

Led by sisters Nathalie and Manal Issa as Yusra and Sarah, the Netflix...

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.

“High Ground,” a 1930s-set drama film, picked up eight nominations for the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards. It narrowly led the field of contenders that included controversial drama “Nitram” with seven nominations, “The Dry” with six and “Penguin Bloom” with five.

Nominations were announced over the weekend ahead of a week of voting. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Sydney Opera House on Dec. 8, 2021.

Six films received nominations for best film: “The Dry,” “The Furnace,” “High Ground,” “Nitram,” “Penguin Bloom” and “Rams.” Five of the six also received nominations for best director.

“High Ground,” received five of its nominations for acting, with two of its performers going head-to-head in the best actor category, and two more in the best supporting actor section.

Similarly, “Nitram,” which chronicles the build-up to a real-life mass shooting in Tasmania, received nominations for its two leads and two supporting cast.

Aacta has revealed those in contention for the major film, television and short-form prizes at this year’s awards, with High Ground leading the charge in the film categories and The Newsreader ahead in television.

The nominations follow those revealed for feature documentary in July, with the technical craft categories still to come.

Aacta also announced today that this year’s awards will move from The Star to the Sydney Opera House, with the ceremony to be held December 8.

There has also been a change in broadcast partners from Seven to 10, where the ceremony will air first followed by an encore on Fox Arena on Foxtel, Binge, and Aacta TV.

High Ground has earned eight nominations, including Best Film. Also nominated for the night’s major prize are Nitram, which earned seven nods, The Dry, which has six, as well as The Furnace, Penguin Bloom and Rams.

The Best Indie Film Award,...

John Huston’s classic “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” (1948) echoes through Roderick MacKay’s feature debut “The Furnace” which premiered at last year’s Venice section Orizzonti, before heading on a festival tour with the final stop at Karlovy Vary, where we caught it. Both films are the stories of gold and greed, but the key difference between them are their milieus and the differences between the American and the Australian use of western genre tropes.

In America, westerns were created to preserve the myth of the hardy pioneers that fought the savage Natives for the land and have pushed the frontiers of the so-called civilised world from one ocean to another. Only in the New Hollywood era, the revisionist westerns appeared aimed at debunking the myths and used as the metaphorical canvas to expose the American imperial politics of the 20th century. In Australia, however, the western setting...

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre echoes through the arid plains of this hardy, old-fashioned yarn. Like John Huston’s classic, The Furnace is a story of gold, greed and amorality with added grit that’s typical of the Australian ‘Meat Pie’ Western. Indeed, it comes during a brutal renaissance in the genre that started with The Proposition and has been followed by such films as Sweet Country, The Nightingale and True History of the Kelly Gang. With its mix of timeless themes and stark milieu, The Furnace joins this canon indepicting a continental history replete with prejudice, cruelty and psychopathic British lawmen.

Our focaliser is Hanif (Ahmed Malek), an Afghan cameleer imported by the Empire to move freight across Australia’s vast interior. Life in the wilderness is harsh, but Hanif finds good company in a group of Aborigines and a Sikh named Jundah (Kaushik Das). However, this is a land of heat,...

"You get me there... you get what's yours." Signature Entertainment has released a new official UK trailer for a western thriller titled The Furnace, made by Australian filmmaker Roderick MacKay. This originally premiered at last year's Venice Film Festival. The Furnace is a tense Western set in the 1890s gold rush of Western Australia. To escape the outback, a young Afghan cameleer named Hamif falls in with a mysterious bushman on the run with two bars of stolen Crown gold. The film stars David Wenham, Ahmad Malek, Jay Ryan, Mahesh Jadu, and Baykali Ganambarr. Well now, this looks pretty damn good! Yet another Australian western confronting racism and the horrible past of Australia and the white men who killed many years ago. I enjoy the score that builds in the second half of this trailer, it won me over. Check it out below. Here's the official UK trailer (+ poster) for Roderick MacKay's The Furnace,...

Egyptian filmmaker Marwan Hamed, the director of “The Yacoubian Building,” “The Blue Elephant” and “The Blue Elephant 2,” which last year became the highest-grossing Egyptian film in history, is shooting “Kira and El Gen,” based on Ahmed Mourad’s book “1919,” about Egyptian resistance to British occupation. He spoke to Variety about the project at the Cairo Film Festival.

Produced by Ahmed Badawy, managing director of Tamer Morsi’s Synergy Films, the budget is north of $10 million, making it the most expensive film in Egyptian cinema history. The film stars some of the biggest names in Arab cinema, including Karim Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Ezz, Hind Sabri and Ahmad Malek. British actor Sam Hazeldine also appears.

Hamed says that the opening of cinemas in Saudi Arabia with its sizeable box-office potential has created a landscape where Arab financiers can plan for better returns on films. “What actually encouraged such an investment...

The producers and funding bodies behind “The Furnace” took quite a chance when they agreed to back Roderick MacKay in his debut feature, yet clearly the young writer-director knows how to sell his vision just as well as he knows how to make a movie. Set in the deserts of Western Australia in the late 19th century, this ambitious, ethnically diverse and visually dramatic Western about an Afghani camel driver and a hard-bitten gold thief in the outback is a classic oater on every level, reminiscent of the more sensitive Westerns of the 1970s in which natives are accorded dignity and depth and moral quandaries aren’t black and white. Premiering in the Horizons section at Venice, the film combines racial sensitivity with good old-fashioned storytelling, which should be a winning competition on big screens at home but also abroad.

It opens in 1897, when a title explains that Western Australia...

‘The Furnace.’

Roderick MacKay’s debut feature The Furnace has been hailed as a compelling, ambitious and meticulously researched exploration of a little-known slice of Australian history following the world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival.

Critics praised the performances of Egyptian actor Ahmed Malek as Hanif, a wide-eyed young Afghan cameleer, and David Wenham as a shifty gold prospector.

DOPs Michael McDermott and Bonnie Elliott’s camerawork was lauded for capturing the ancient landscapes of the Western Australian interior, as were Mark Bradshaw’s score and production designer Clayton Jauncey’s recreation of the gold rush town Mount Magnet in its infancy.

Produced by Timothy White and Tenille Kennedy, the 1890s drama co-starring Jay Ryan, Erik Thomson, Kaushik Das, Baykali Ganambarr, Trevor Jamieson, Mahesh Jadu and Samson Coulter screened in the festival’s Horizons section on Saturday.

The plot follows Malek’s Hanif and Wenham’s Mal who...