MAD Solutions Acquires the Sales and Distribution Rights of French Film LES MIENS in The Arab World

MAD Solutions has acquired the sales distribution rights of French film LES MIENS by French-Moroccan director Roschdy Zem in the Arab world, which landed its world premiere at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival and is competing in the official competition for the Golden Lion Grand Prix. The film will have five screenings from September 8th to 10th , and it will be released in French cinemas in November.

The film follows Moussa who has always been kind, selfless and there for his family. Unlike his brother Ryad, a high-profile TV presenter who is widely criticized for his egocentricity by those around him. His only defender is Moussa, who is a great admirer for his brother. Then an accidental falls leaving Moussa with a serious brain trauma. Now he talks without any filter, telling brutal  truth to friends and family alike, and ends up resented by all – except Ryad.

"Wild Bunch International is thrilled to be working with MAD Solutions on Roschdy Zem's fifth and most personal feature film which will premiere in competition at Venice Film Festival. We are sure that this collaboration will be decisive for OUR TIES distribution and promotion in the MENA region, " stated Silvia Simonutti from Wild Bunch International company, which is in charge of the film's international sales. 

“We are happy to work with Wild Bunch International, one of the largest and leading distribution companies in Europe and worldwide, which shares a similar approach to ours in terms of cinematic diversity, especially that the collaboration began with LES MIENS, directed by Cannes and Cesar award winner Roschdy Zem, whose fame and long successful journey is well known in Europe, and ought to be matched in the middle east and this is what MAD aims to attain by introducing outstanding personalities like Roschdy to the Arab audience," stated Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab, co-founders of MAD Solutions. 

The film LES MIENS, directed by Roschdy Zem, who co-wrote the script with Maïwenn, starring a group of award-winning actors, including César award winner for Best Actor Sami Bouajila and the French actress Maïwenn who won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and nominee for several César Awards. 

The cast includes Rachid Bouchareb, who has received several awards from Cannes, Berlin, and Locarno, as well as César award, Roschdy Zem, Meriem Serbah, Abel Jafri, Lila Fernandez and Nina Zem. The cast also includes Maxence Dussere, the music composer of LES MIENS and winner of the César prize ANNETTE. Additionally, the DOP Julien Poupard (The Oscar-nominated movie LES MISÉRABLES), the editor Pierre Deschamps (Oscar nominee JACKIE), costume designer Hyat Luszpinski (POLISSE), and the set designer Rabeir Ourak (I Forgot to Tell You). The film was co-produced by Why Not Productions, Hole In One Films, and Le Pacte, and the sales worldwide is handled by Wild Bunch International.

Roschdy Zem is a French actor, director and author. He made his debut in André Téchiné's J'EMBRASSE PAS in 1991 and received the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in Rachid Bouchareb's DAYS OF GLORY, together with the rest of the cast. Roschdy directed his debut film, MAUVAISE FOI, followed by OMAR M'A TUER in 2011, BODYBUILDER in 2014, and CHOCOLAT, which sold about 2 million tickets in France. In 2019, Zem received the César Award for Best Actor for his performance in Arnaud Desplechin's ROUBAIX, UNE LUMIÈRE. In the same year, he made his fifth film as director PERSONA NON GRATA.