Luxbox boards Maha Haj’s Un Certain Regard title ‘Mediterranean Fever’
Paris-based sales company Luxbox has boarded sales on Palestinian director Maha Haj’s second film Mediterranean Fever, which was announced as a fresh addition to Cannes Un Certain Regard section on Thursday (April 21).
At the same time, Dulac Distribution has also announced its acquisition of French rights for the film.
Haj’s debut feature Personal Affairs also world premiered in Un Certain Regard in 2016.
The new drama revolves around an aspiring but depressed writer living in Haifa who befriends his small-time crook neighbour in the hope he will help him with a sinister scheme.
Celebrated Palestinian theatre actor Amer Hlehel, who has performed in productions with the UK’s Royal Shakespeare Company and Royal Court, stars in his first big-screen lead role after supporting parts in Personal Affairs, and more recently Tel Aviv On Fire and The Stranger.
Other cast members include Ashraf Farah, Anat Hadid, Samir Elias, Cynthia Saleem, Shaden Kanboura
The new film is produced by Palestinian producer Baher Agbariya of Haifa-basedMajdal Films; Juliette Lepoutre and Pierre Menahem at France’s Still Moving, Thanassis Karathanos and Martin Hampel at Germany’s Pallas Film; Marios Piperides and Janine Teerling at Cyprus’ AMP Filmworks, in association with Turkey’s Metafora Production.
“Mediterranean Fever is such a subtle piece of work that needs to be handled with special care,” Still Moving’s Juliette Lepoutre and Pierre Menahem said in a joint statement on the choice of Luxbox and Dulac Distribution as partners on the film.
Michel Zana, head of distribution of Dulac Distribution, said the company had been drawn to the film for the way it presents a previously unseen perspective of Palestinian society.
“Mediterranean Fever depicts, with a rejoicing dark humour the existential crisis of a middle-aged father, wannabe writer, and his unexpected friendship with his small-time crook neighbour,” said Zana.
Luxbox, which is co-headed by Fiorella Moretti Hédi Zardi, is gearing up for a busy Cannes with other titles on its slate including Directors’ Fortnight selections Under The Fig Trees and 1976.
”It’s very inspiring to work on a film with such freedom of tone and such personal humour. It’s important to share and spread the voice of this female director who traces a very personal cinematic path,” they said.
