(Photo stills from Coming Forth By Day [L] and Harag W Marag [R])
Two new Egyptian movies have been released online, courtesy of the US-based online streaming service Filmatique, along with titles from Morocco and Tunisia, making them available to a wider international audience.
Director Nadine Khan's Harag W' Marag (Chaos, Disorder) and Hala Lotfy's Coming Forth by Day were released on 8 and 15 December respectively, according to MAD Solutions, the films' distributor.
Also being released on Filmatique are The Miscreants (Les Mecerantes) by Moroccan director Mohcine Besri, and Tunisian film Challat of Tunis (Le challat de Tunis) by Kaouther Ben Hania.
Harag W' Marag is Nadine Khan's feature directorial debut. Starring Ayten Amer, Mohamed Farrag, and Ramsi Lehner, the script was co-written by Khan and Mohamed Nasser.
The social drama tells the story of lost love in a controversial setting. Zaki (Farrag), Mounir (Lehner) and Manal (Ayten Amer) are in their twenties and living in a confined community where basic needs are met, but chaos and disorder are brewing.
The two boys are in love with the same girl, who finds herself the subject of a bet on a football match, with the winner marrying Manal. The story shows a youth focused on football and Playstation, and how they deal with their emotions in a community that is increasingly isolated.
Hala Lotfy's Coming Forth by Day tells the story of a poor family living in a shabby neighborhood on the outskirts of Cairo. The pillar of the family, a single 30-year-old woman (Donia Maher), finds it difficult to express her feelings and dreams. She spends her time taking care of her wheelchair-bound father (Ahmed Lotfy) and mother (Salma Al-Naggar) who works as a nurse.
The Miscreants is already available for viewing on Filmatique, while Challat of Tunis is set for release on 22 December.
Filmatique was established in November 2016 with the aim of providing online film streaming in the United States. It has released more than 50 films since then and interviewed 28 award-winning filmmakers from around the world, according to MAD Solutions.
The streaming service has also "cultivated an editorial focus" with its monthly series and premiered its first original production, as well as launching services in Canada.
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