‘The Good Wife’ Gets Arabic Adaptation on MBC’s Shahid Streamer With Star Hend Sabri in Lead Role

Naman Ramachandran Indian actor and filmmaker Manohara has had an inspirational journey. Hailing from humble circumstances in Bengaluru, southern India, Manohara was picked out of school and cast by filmmaker Prithvi Konanur in “Railway Children” (2016), which won him best child actor at India’s National Film Awards. Manohara went on to act in supporting roles in Konanur’s Busan and Hainan selection “Where Is Pinki?” (2020) and Busan, Hong Kong and Goa title “Seventeeners,” on which he also assisted.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Dubai-based sales company Mad World has taken global rights to feminist drama “The Wound,” which marks the directorial debut of Morocco’s Seloua El Gouni, who has experience as a production manager on Hollywood titles such as “A Hologram for the King” and “Men in Black: International.” “The Wound” (“La Plaie”) stars rising Arab talent Oumaïma Barid, who gained global notice in Sofia Alaoui’s 2023 Sundance title “Animalia.” Barid plays a young woman named Leila who is trying to pursue her passions and ambitions while contending with Morocco’s societal constraints and becomes pregnant in an extramarital love affair. The promising drama’s Moroccan A-list cast also comprises rising star Brice Bexter (“Redemption Day,” “Seneca”); Amal Ayouch (“Eye on Juliet”); Mansour Badri (“Ghosts of Beirut”); Soraya Azzabi (“Billie’s Magic World”); Abdelhak Saleh (“Hounds”); and Sami Fekkak (“Testament: Story of Moses”).

Naman Ramachandran In a significant development for the Indian entertainment industry, Artist International Group (AIG), under the leadership of David Unger, and Creativeland Studios, helmed by Sajan Raj Kurup, have unveiled a joint venture to establish AIG India. This new talent and production company aims to bridge the gap between Hollywood and India’s vibrant creative scene. AIG India will focus on discovering, nurturing, and promoting Indian talent across various artistic fields, leveraging AIG’s global reach and Creativeland Studios’ in-depth knowledge of the Indian market.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Talpa Studios, the company founded by “The Voice” and “Big Brother” creator John de Mol, has recommissioned its hit reality show “Million Dollar Island” for new seasons in the Middle East and the Netherlands, produced at Saudi Arabia’s innovative Neom production hub. The upcoming seasons, respectively titled “Million Dollar Land” for Middle East broadcaster MBC and “Million Dollar Desert” for NET5 in the Netherlands, will be executive produced at Neom by Dubai-based Blue Engine Studios.

EXCLUSIVE: The Munich International Film Festival has set an eclectic trio of world premieres for its upcoming 41st edition. Harley Chamandy’s Allen Sunshine, Jamie Kastner feature doc The Spoils and Davi Pretto’s Continente will each premiere, Deadline can reveal.

Tim Chan If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. The 2024 ICC T20 Cricket World Cup is underway and one of the most anticipated matchups takes place this weekend as India faces off against Pakistan in a group stage match airing live on Willow TV. Pakistan is coming off a stunning loss to the U.S.

Tim Chan If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Cricket fans in the U.S. are in for a treat this weekend as two of the biggest cricket nations in the world face-off at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “The Gospel of the Beast,” a film from The Philippines director Sheron Dayoc, was named the best narrative feature at the Bali International Film Festival (aka Balinale) which concludes Friday. The film features a 15-year-old boy who accidentally kills a classmate, runs away and sets up an unlikely relationship with a man he barely knows.

The Real Housewives of Dubai is returning this weekend!

Tim Chan If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Some of the world’s best cricket players are coming to the U.S. for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, the biggest ICC World Cup ever, with 20 countries competing across 55 matches in the U.S.

EXCLUSIVE: “I’m not so good at this part, you know,” Indian megastar Prabhas tells Deadline on the set of upcoming mythological sci-fi movie Kalki 2898 AD.

A man, known for his particular eating habits, spends an additional £300 to bring his own food on holiday, despite his wife shelling out £1,400 for all-inclusive vacations. John Phillips fills a suitcase with Pot Noodles, crisps, biscuits and sausages to ensure he can savour 'good old-fashioned English' meals while overseas.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The Match Factory has finalized global sales for the Cannes competition title “The Substance,” directed by Coralie Fargeat and starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid. The Match Factory has sold to Italy (I Wonder Pictures), Spain (Elastica Films), Scandinavia (Nonstop Entertainment), South Korea (Challan), Hong Kong (Golden Scene Company), CIS (VLG.FILM LTD.), Ukraine and Baltics (Adastra Cinema), Taiwan (Catchplay), Australia and New Zealand (Madman Entertainment), Poland (Monolith), Greece (Feelgood Entertainment), the former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom), Bulgaria (Beta Film) and Romania (Independenta Film 97).

The Match Factory has finalized a raft of international deals for Coralie Fargeat’s Cannes Palme d’Or contender The Substance, following its buzzy premiere over the weekend in the presence of co-stars Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid.

Lise Pedersen Three days after its Critics’ Week world premiere, “The Brink of Dreams” director-producer team of Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir delved into the making of their documentary in an exclusive, behind-the-scenes conversation at the Palais des Festivals. Hosted by the Cannes Docs sidebar of the Marché du Film, the conversation saw the Cairo-based Felucca Films duo offer insider intel and tips on their sophomore feature. Their debut feature, “Happily Ever After,” premiered at IDFA in 2016.

Jamie Lang For one of this year’s Variety Global Conversations Summit at Cannes, a group of leading women actors and filmmakers from around the world joined Variety’s Nick Vivarelli to discuss how they got into the business, what motivates them and some of the groundbreaking roles they’ve played. Egyptian actor Salma Abu-Deif (“El-Asliyyin”) discussed her recent turn in the series “Highest Viewing Rate,” which tells the true story of a girl from a poor family who becomes obsessed with TikTok and uses the platform to escape her daily life.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Sideshow and Janus films (“Drive My Car”) have acquired all North American rights to Payal Kapadia‘s “All We Imagine as Light,” the first Indian film to screen in official competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 30 years. The movie will world premiere on Thursday, May 23. It’s also one of only four films in the Competition directed by a woman.

Naman Ramachandran Oscar-, BAFTA-, Golden Globe- and Grammy-winning composer A.R. Rahman, veteran producer Bobby Bedi and the Technicolor Group have unveiled a film project based on Middle Eastern wit Mulla Nasruddin at the Cannes Film Festival. Also known as Nasreddin Hodja, Nasruddin was a 13th century folklore character from what is now Turkey, known for his pithy wit and humorous wisdom.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Berlin-based sales agency Films Boutique has closed the first international sales for Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” ahead of its world premiere on Friday in the Competition section of the Cannes Film Festival. The film has been acquired in Italy by BiM Distribuzione and Lucky Red, Benelux by September Film Distribution, Spain by Bteam Pictures, Greece by Ama Films, Hungary by Cirko Film, Norway by Selmer Media, Portugal by Leopardo Filmes, Taiwan by Hooray Films and Turkey by Bir Film.

It’s a momentous Cannes for Cairo-based film professionals Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab as they mark the 15th anniversary of the creation of marketing and distribution company MAD Solutions and the 10th anniversary of spin-off the Arab Cinema Center (ACC).