Exclusive: Watermelon Pictures has acquired North American distribution rights for Palestinian director Mohamed Jabaly’s documentary Life Is Beautiful about his experiences after he became stranded in Norway in 2014 when Gaza’s borders were shut indefinitely.
The distribution agreement, which includes all North American theatrical and ancillary rights, was negotiated in Cannes by Munir Atalla, head of Production and Acquisitionat Watermelon Pictures and Esther van Messel of First Hand Films.
Jabaly was attending a film festival in Tromsø in 2014, when the borders to Gaza closed. Little did he know that it would be seven years before he could see his family again.
While waiting for the situation to change, Mohamed’s friends back home tell him to seek asylum or get married to stay in Norway. But Mohamed refuses to give up his Palestinian identity and insists on being recognized for his work.
After being denied a work permit after several appeals,...
The distribution agreement, which includes all North American theatrical and ancillary rights, was negotiated in Cannes by Munir Atalla, head of Production and Acquisitionat Watermelon Pictures and Esther van Messel of First Hand Films.
Jabaly was attending a film festival in Tromsø in 2014, when the borders to Gaza closed. Little did he know that it would be seven years before he could see his family again.
While waiting for the situation to change, Mohamed’s friends back home tell him to seek asylum or get married to stay in Norway. But Mohamed refuses to give up his Palestinian identity and insists on being recognized for his work.
After being denied a work permit after several appeals,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
“Standing here and talking about my film is the only way I can feel I am doing something,” said Mohamed Jabaly.
An emotional Mohamed Jabaly unveiled his new feature doc Life Is Beautiful in the international competition at IDFA on Monday. The premiere came as the Palestinian director said his relatives in Gaza have been displaced by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
“For me, standing here and talking about my film is the only way I can feel I am doing something. I could just hide inside the room and decide not to talk,” said Jabaly of the decision to go ahead with his screening.
An emotional Mohamed Jabaly unveiled his new feature doc Life Is Beautiful in the international competition at IDFA on Monday. The premiere came as the Palestinian director said his relatives in Gaza have been displaced by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
“For me, standing here and talking about my film is the only way I can feel I am doing something. I could just hide inside the room and decide not to talk,” said Jabaly of the decision to go ahead with his screening.
- 11/15/2023
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
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