The social thriller is Mohamed Rashad's first narrative feature, following his 2016 documentary 'Little Eagles'.
Mohamed Rashad’s Egyptian workplace thriller The Settlement will compete in the official selection of the African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival (FESCAAL) in Italy, running from March 21 to 30.
During the festival, The Settlement will have two screenings: on March 27 at 7 PM at Cineteca Milano Arlecchino and on March 28 at 9 PM at Cinema Teatro Cristallo in Cesano Boscone. Director Mohamed Rashad will be present for exclusive Q&A sessions following both screenings, offering insights into the filmmaking process and behind-the-scenes anecdotes.
Inspired by true events, The Settlement tells the story of two brothers—23-year-old Hossam and his 12-year-old sibling Maro—who, after their father’s fatal workplace accident, are offered jobs at the local factory in lieu of their family seeking legal recourse. As they integrate into their new environment, unsettling questions arise about the true nature of their father’s death.
Rashad, a native of Alexandria whose father worked in textile factories for over four decades, was moved by a real-life account of a law graduate whose family was pressured into waiving their legal rights following a similar tragedy. Seeing a powerful opportunity to explore workplace safety violations and exploitative labour practices, Rashad transformed this story into a tense and thought-provoking cinematic experience.
The Settlement features Adham Shukr, Ziad Islam, Hajar Omar, Mohamed Abdel Hady and Emad Ghoneim. The film’s visuals are crafted by cinematographer Mahmoud Lotfi, while editor Heba Othman—known for her work on the acclaimed Sudanese film Goodbye Julia—brings the story to life through editing.
Produced through an international collaboration spanning Egypt, France, Germany, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, The Settlement is led by producer Hala Lotfy of Hassala Films (Cairo) alongside co-producers Etienne de Ricaud of Caractères Productions (Paris), Kesmat Elsayed of Seera Films GmbH (Berlin) and ART (Jeddah). The film’s worldwide sales are managed by MAD World, with MAD Distribution handling its release in the Arab world.
During its development, The Settlement garnered support from numerous international funding bodies, including the Berlinale World Cinema Fund, IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund Script and Development Initiative, Hubert Bals Plus Co-Production Minority Support, Doha Film Institute, Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Red Sea Development Fund, Fonds Image De La Francophonie, and El Gouna Film Festival’s CineGouna Platform.
