The film was nominated for the 92nd Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category last month.
MAD Solutions has acquired the Arab world distribution rights to the Polish drama Corpus Christi in co-operation with New Europe Film Sales that handles the film’s international sales.
Corpus Christi follows a 20-year-old who experiences a spiritual transformation in a youth detention centre. Though his crime denies him the opportunity to officially learn to serve as clergy, he pursues his dream by dressing as a priest and ministering a small-town parish.
The film won over 40 awards at international film festivals, including the El Gouna Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival, Polish International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Stockholm Film Festival, and the Polish Film Festival in America.
The film was one of the three films nominated for the Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films.
Directed by Jan Komasa and written by Mateusz Pacewicz, Corpus Christi stars Tomasz Zietek, Leszek Lichota, Bartosz Bielenia, Aleksandra Konieczna, and Barbara Kurzaj.
The film is produced by Aurum Film, WFS Walter Film Studio, Canal+ Poland, Podkapracki Region Fund and Les Contes Modernes. The film was co-financed by Polish Film Institute and CNC Cinemas Du Monde – Institut Francais.
Commenting on the development, Jan Naszewski, CEO of New Europe Film Sales, said: “We are very happy with our first collaboration with MAD Solutions. We greatly appreciate its efforts as one of the few distributors of high-quality art-house cinema in the region.”
Alaa Karkouti, CEO of MAD Solutions and Co-founder of the Arab Cinema Center (ACC), remarked: “Corpus Christi has proven that it’s one of the most important films in 2019 since its premiere. It was also one of the three films nominated for the Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films. This powerful Polish film confirms that Poland’s film industry is booming, especially after the films it produced over the past few years, such as Cold War last year and Ida, which won an Oscar in 2013. I believe that Corpus Christi will achieve a big success in the Arab world, and we are honoured to distribute it.”
