Nick Holdsworth For the producers of an international co-production about Palestinian refugees in Athens the Hamas attack on Israel Oct.
7 and subsequent bombardment and invasion of Gaza by Israeli forces looked as if it might derail the project. But although the conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Israelis and over 15,500 Palestinian has impacted the shooting of the Palestine/U.K./Greece and European co-production “Men in the Sun” the project — which is due to close financing at the Red Sea Film Festival this week — is on course to finish post-production in London by May next year in time for a premiere at what producer Geoff Arbourne will only say will be “a major international film festival.” “There was consternation when the conflict started, but in the end production, which started five weeks ago, was only delayed by a day,” U.K.-based Arbourne of Inside Out Films, told Variety at the festival. “We started shooting in Athens a week ago and shall wrap by mid-December, when post-production begins in London.” The film, directed by Dubai-born Mahdi Fleifel, is about two Palestinian refugees living in Athens who become embroiled in a hostage situation after seeking to take revenge on the people smugglers who ripped them off.
It draws on Fleifel’s experience of documenting the lives of refugees living on the margins of Greek society over the past decade.
The film — which will be released under a different, yet to be decided, title — is backed by ARTE/ZDF, the Doha Film Institute, Red Sea Fund and national funds in the Netherlands and Greece among others.
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