Helmed by Muayad Alayan and co-written with Rami Alayan, the film will be distributed in the Arab world by MAD Solutions.
Palestinian filmmaker Muayad Alayan’s third feature film, A House in Jerusalem, will have its Arab premiere at the 2023 Cairo International Film Festival. The film will be featured in the Midnight Screenings section of the festival, which is scheduled to run from November 15 to 24, 2023.
Meanwhile, MAD Solutions has released the film’s new official poster exclusively for the MENA region. The poster showcases the film’s protagonist—a young girl—gazing into her own reflection in a shattered mirror. Through a visual representation, the shards of glass from the broken mirror appear to be hurtling towards her, creating a sense of intrigue and anticipation.
Directed by Muayad Alayan, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rami Alayan, A House in Jerusalem made its world premiere at the 2023 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). The film has garnered recognition at various renowned festivals worldwide, including the Boston Palestine Film Festival and the Seattle International Film Festival in the United States, as well as the Mostra de Valencia—Cinema del Mediterrani in Spain, the Athens Palestine Film Festival in Greece, and the Palestinian Film Festival in Australia.
Notably, A House in Jerusalem was the sole Arab project selected for the 36th edition of the IFFR Pro’s Production Market.
Featuring an ensemble cast including Johnny Harris, Makran Khoury, Souad Feres, Miley Locke, and Sheherazade Makhoul Farrell, A House in Jerusalem follows the journey of young Rebecca, who is compelled to relocate with her father from the UK to Jerusalem in the hopes of finding solace and healing following her mother’s sudden passing.
As Rebecca settles into an old house in a neighbourhood known as the “Valley of the Ghosts,” a series of mysterious events unfold, with Rebecca bearing the blame. The film delves deep into the mysteries of the house and the mystical city of Jerusalem, as Rebecca embarks on an enigmatic quest to uncover the secrets that lurk in the shadows of the house.
The film’s production involved collaboration among several entities, including PalCine Productions in Palestine, Wellington Films in the UK, Red Balloon Films in Germany, Metafora Production in Qatar, and Key Film. MAD Solutions is managing the distribution of the film across the Arab world.
The film also received several development funds from the Doha Film Institute, Netherlands Film Fund, MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, British Film Institute, and French Consulate General Jerusalem. Additionally, it received the Filmmore Postproduction Award and the AFAC’s Cinema Grant.
