The titles will receive either a wide, limited or one-night release, depending on where they are in their release cycle.
MAD Solutions has unveiled CineMAD, a new regional initiative aimed at bringing acclaimed Arab films from the international festival circuit to cinemas across the Middle East and North Africa. Announced during the closing ceremony of the Cairo International Film Festival, just before the screening of The Voice of Hind Rajab, the programme is set to begin in December 2025 with screenings at three PREMIERE Cinemas locations in Cairo. Empire Entertainment will manage distribution across the GCC and the Levant, while Filmlab will oversee releases in Palestine and Easy Distribution will handle Tunisian cinemas. Additional partners across the region are expected to join soon.
Running for three months, CineMAD will present more than 20 celebrated titles from prominent Arab filmmakers, marking a major shift in how festival films reach regional audiences. The initiative will follow three release models: wide releases for high-profile titles, limited releases for critically acclaimed works in select cities, and one-night-only screenings that will take place simultaneously across multiple Arab countries.
Designed to close the gap between festival success and local viewership, CineMAD aims to give audiences broad access to contemporary Arab stories on the big screen. It also seeks to reinforce collaboration among festivals, cultural institutions, embassies, film funds and creators, strengthening the visibility and long-term viability of Arab cinema.
Speaking about the collaboration, Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab, Co-Founders of MAD Solutions, said: “CineMAD is about building a real ecosystem for Arab films — one that doesn’t end at the festival red carpet. It’s about connecting films, filmmakers, and audiences in a way that feels alive, inclusive, and cinematic. Partnering with strongly rooted cinema entities such as PREMIERE, Empire, Filmlab and Easy marks the beginning of a game-changing era for the Arab film industry. CineMAD represents the first chapter in a larger set of projects designed to anchor Arab festival titles firmly within mainstream cinema culture — and we are proud to present the best Arab festival films of 2025.”
Ramzi Khoury, PREMIERE Cinemas Chairman and Deputy CEO at Misr International Films, aded: “We are delighted to be the Egyptian platform for the first edition of CineMAD, bringing voices from the Maghreb, North Africa and the Levant to our Cairene film fans.”
Serge Zabbal, Business Director at Empire Entertainment, stated:”We are extremely happy to be part of CineMAD. It’s an amazing initiative to make quality indie movies accessible in cinemas all around the region — a much-needed step to bring the great voices of the Arab world to the big screen.”
On the partnership, Hanna Atallah, Founder and Artistic Director of Filmlab Palestine, and Ola Salama, Executive Director, commented: “At Filmlab Palestine, we’re proud to join this initiative that brings Arab stories to audiences across the region. This collaboration supports our mission to share authentic Palestinian and Arab voices on screen. CineMAD is more than a distribution program — it’s a celebration of our shared cinematic identity and a step toward a stronger, more connected Arab film culture.”
The Easy Distribution team — Nada Mezni Hafaeidh, Slim Hafaeidh, Noura Nefzi, and Arij Riahi, noted: “We are thrilled and truly happy to be part of this exciting partnership. At Easy Distribution, our goal has always been to create effortless reach and make a powerful impact, connecting exceptional films to the audiences they deserve. This collaboration allows us to bring more diverse voices and unique stories to the big screen, reaching cinephiles and new viewers alike. We believe in the transformative power of cinema, and being part of this initiative is a meaningful step toward celebrating and sharing these stories across the region.”
Omar Khalil, Project Manager of CineMAD, remarked: “CineMAD is a big step toward making Arab indie and festival films part of everyday cinema culture. Just as indie films are thriving in commercial theatres worldwide, we want Arab festival titles to share that space — and hopefully inspire more emerging filmmakers to take their projects out of the drawer and bring them to life.”
The December 2025 rollout will expand across major Arab cities with a curated slate that includes Palestine 36 by Annemarie Jacir, The Voice of Hind Rajab by Kaouther Ben Hania, Cotton Queen by Suzannah Mirghani and Yunan by Ameer Fakher Eldin, alongside a diverse selection of films from Palestine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Lebanon, Algeria and other countries.
CineMAD will open with a special event in Cairo titled “Drop The Beat,” held at PREMIERE Nile Cinema and sponsored by Red Bull. The launch night will showcase three energetic short films that merge cinema with the region’s music scene: 60 Egyptian Pounds by Amr Salama featuring rapper Ziad Zaza, Smokey Eyes by Ali Ali starring Marwan Moussa and Simo by Aziz Zoromba featuring the hit track “Ghaba” by Marwan Pablo.
The full CineMAD lineup includes Palestine 36, The Voice of Hind Rajab, Cotton Queen, Once Upon a Time in Gaza, The Settlement, Yunan, My Father and Qaddafi, Thank You for Banking with Us, The Vanishing, Behind the Palm Trees, Where the Wind Comes From, Promised Sky, Algiers, A Bird From Paradise, The Village Next to Paradise, Têtes Brûlées, Ghost Trail, Exile, Rat Hole, 50 Metres, Dead Dog, 60 Egyptian Pounds, Smokey Eyes and Simo.
