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Ahmed Fahmy’s iProductions Announces Three New Films, Expansion of Sea Cinema Chain (EXCLUSIVE)

At the El Gouna Film Festival, Ahmed Fahmy’s iProductions has announced that three new feature films – “Abu Saddam,” “Have You Drunk From The Nile” and “Troubled Omar” – are to go into production from November and run to the end of next year.

Additionally, iProductions has announced that shooting has recommenced on their new fantasy drama television series “Wadi Al Jinn,” in collaboration with Viu platform, scheduled to premiere on Viu next year, and the building of new cinemas in Egypt.

“Have You Drunk From The Nile,” to be directed by Khaled Diab, heads the slate. The movie reunites the team behind Cannes entry “Clash,” with that film’s helmer Mohamed Diab as well as Sherine Diab co-scripting alongside the director. The crime caper stars Mostafa Khater and Hamdi El-Mirghani as two drug dealers who run off with a large shipment of heroin belonging to a crime kingpin.

Egyptian writer and director Nadine Khan, whose credits include “Harag W’Marag” (“Chaos, Disorder”), will begin filming “Abu Saddam,” co-scripted by Mahmoud Ezzat (“Villa 69”). The psychological drama, starring Muhammad Mamdooh and Ahmed Dash, tells the story of a forty-something handsome truck driver who is unemployable because of his short temper.

iProductions has also announced that Hani Ramzi will star in the Sameh Ser Al-Khetum and Shady Mohsen scripted drama “Troubled Omar.” A director is still to be attached to the project. The story is about an introverted guy who falls in love with his colleague at work; sadly, his affections are unrequited, so Omar decides to transform himself.

On the television slate, the fantasy and adventure drama “Wadi Al Jinn” has recommenced shooting. Directed by Hossam El Gohary, the series is co-written by Menna Ikram, Omar Khaled and Mohammad Hisham Obya, telling the story of four college students who explore the mysterious Wadi Al Jinn caves and find themselves in a hidden underworld dominated by evil forces. Taking place in over 150 locations, it brings together many burgeoning stars from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Lebanon, including Youssef Othman and Layla Ahmed Zaher, Mohsen Mansour, Roa Channouha and Khaled Kamal.

Ahmed Fahmy, managing director and CEO of iProductions, said the shoot is now “operating under the precautionary measures and guidelines of Egypt’s Ministry of Health against COVID-19.” The measures reduce the number of crew members and facilitate the presence of a doctor and an ambulance on-set; together with frequent checkups for the cast and crew.

This good news follows a difficult few months for the Egyptian film and TV sector. “The pandemic greatly affected the production process in general,” said Fahmy. “Ever since the lockdown started in March until July all of the company productions, including ‘Wadi Al Jinn,’ have been paused.”

iProductions also runs the Sea Cinema project that has announced that it will build new cinemas despite the problems faced by cinemas during the global pandemic. Sea Cinemas is currently operating in Monoufya, El Beheira, Al Fayyoum, Luxor, and El Gouna.

“Sea Cinema is a project that aims to build film theaters in the Egyptian governorates that do not have any screening venues,” said Fahmy. “This comes in line with iProductions’ plan to promote art and cinema in every corner of Egypt. The project comes into two stages, the first is to implement these expansions inside Cairo, and the second stage is across Upper Egypt.”

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