Noaz Deshe’s ‘Xoftex’ Debuts Trailer Ahead of Karlovy Vary Premiere, MAD World to Sell World Rights (EXCLUSIVE)
Noaz Deshe’s “Xoftex,” which has its world premiere July 1 in the Crystal Globe Competition of Karlovy Vary Film Festival, has debuted its trailer (below). MAD World is attached as the film’s sales agent.
“Xoftex” is Deshe’s second feature film. His feature debut, “White Shadow,” about the hunting of a young Albino, won the Lion of the Future Award at Venice Film Festival, and was showcased at Sundance Film Festival.
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The screenplay for “Xoftex” is by Deshe and Babak Jalali, who directed and co-wrote “Fremont,” best director award winner at Karlovy Vary last year.
“Xoftex” centers on a Greek refugee camp called Xoftex, where Syrian and Palestinian asylum seekers anxiously wait for news of their refugee status. To pass the time between interviews with the immigration office, Nasser and his friends film satirical sketches and make preparations for a zombie horror movie.
However, the reality of the camp could be taken for a horror scenario itself. The tension between its inhabitants gains momentum and every conflict removes one more brick from the wall which divides reality from dream – or, indeed, nightmare. Fragments of real life, humor, and the unimaginable suffering of people risking their lives to escape their own country, merge into an explosive, and, at times, surreal spectacle.
Andro Steinborn produces for Germany’s Arden Film. The coproducer is France’s The Cup of Tea. The cast includes Abdulrahman Diab, Osama Hafiri and Jalal Albaroudi.
Deshe also works as a DOP and musician. He composed the soundtrack of Jalali’s “Frontier Blues,” and was the cinematographer of Rotterdam Film Festival Tiger Award winner “Radio Dreams.”
In addition to his artistic work, he has worked as a volunteer on sea rescue missions and in refugee camps.
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