Greece’s Homemade Films has boarded Mahdi Fleifel’s upcoming feature “Men in the Sun,” currently in the final stages of development. The story, set in Athens, will deal with masculinity, exile and …
’s upcoming feature “Men in the Sun,” currently in the final stages of development. The story, set in Athens, will deal with masculinity, exile and loss, showing young refugees in their 20s hustling to survive in the urban pressure cooker.
“I’m very excited to be working with this group of directors on a variety of different genres that span from drama to fantasy and mystery,” says Drandaki. She added that she is very interested in working with international filmmakers like Dubai-born Fleifel, who lives and works between Denmark, England and Greece.
In 2012, Fleifel shot the acclaimed documentary “A World Not Ours,” awarded in Berlin. Later, he was nominated for a BAFTA for his short “A Drowning Man.” Exploring a friendship that gradually dissolves under pressure, Fleifel borrowed the title from Ghassan Kanafani’s novella about Palestinian refugees traveling to Kuwait and hoping to find work.
“This genre is our starting point. It represents a common language the audience recognizes, so they know what to expect. My role as a filmmaker, however, is to turn things upside down,” he adds.