Mad Distribution Secures MENA Rights for Moroccan Thriller 'Behind The Palm Trees' – Marrakech

Mad Distribution has acquired the rights to release Moroccan director Meryem BenmBareks Behind The Palm Trees across the MENA region. The film had its world premiere in competition at the Marrakech Film Festival over the weekend. The Cairo-based pan-Arab company will also feature the title in its upcoming theatrical showcase, CineMAD, launching this December.

The Tangier-set thriller blends social and historical commentary with genre storytelling, exploring the repercussions of colonialism alongside the complexities of romantic relationships in a conservative society. The narrative follows a young Moroccan man, played by Driss Ramdi (Escape From Raqqa), torn between his longtime local fiance, portrayed by Nadia Kounda (Raltat), and a wealthy French woman, played by Sara Giraudeau (The Bureau). Enticed by the French womans luxurious lifestyle, he begins to neglect his fiance, aware that his choices will have consequences. The cast also features celebrated French actors Carole Bouquet and Olivier Rabourdin (Eastern Boys).

Behind The Palm Trees is a French-Moroccan-Belgian-Qatari co-production, created by Paris-based Tessalit Productions and Orlans-based Furyo Films, in partnership with Mad Solutions. The film unites prominent talents from both the Arab world and European independent cinema.

The screenplay was co-written by BenmBarek alongside UK-Moroccan BAFTA and BIFA-nominated director Fyzal Boulifa (The Damned Dont Cry), with Emma Benestan (Facing The Beast) and Agns Feuvre ( Mains Nues) also contributing. Jean Brhat (West Beirut, The Insult) and Emma Binet produce, while cinematography is by Son Doan (Viet and Nam) and editing by Christel Dewynter (Hippocrates: Diary of a French Doctor).

The project received support from the Doha Film Institute, Atlas Workshops, and the Red Sea Souk, where MAD Solutions awarded it its Distribution Prize, providing $50,000 worth of distribution, sales, and marketing services.

Behind The Palm Trees demonstrates that love, passion, and the thrill they bring are universal, transcending borders, cultures, and ethnicities, said Mad Solutions co-founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab. Its an authentic Arab story with international resonance, and we are thrilled to bring it to audiences. Collaborating with a talented director like BenmBarek, following the success of her previous film Sofia, was irresistible.

BenmBarek shared her creative vision: This film was born from my wish to craft an intimate thriller where romantic tension evolves into danger. Tangier, with its stark contrasts, offered the ideal backdrop for this story.

Born in Rabat, Morocco, BenmBarek grew up between Morocco, France, and Belgium. She studied directing at Belgiums INSAS in 2010 and created several acclaimed short films, including Jennah, which screened internationally and was shortlisted for the 2015 Oscars. Her debut feature, Sofia (2018), won Best Screenplay in Cannes Un Certain Regard section and received multiple international awards, including the New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury Prize at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Author: Sophia Brooks