MAD Solutions and IRTH have formed a MAD Solutions IRTH partnership to develop, package and support film, television and other entertainment projects from across the Arab world for regional and international markets. The companies announced the agreement at the Venice Film Festival, according to Deadline, with Variety reporting that the first projects will be announced separately.
What the MAD Solutions IRTH partnership will develop
IRTH was launched during the 2025 Red Sea International Film Festival as a writers’ platform bringing together writers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the region. It focuses on creating and developing drama projects across films, television series and plays.
MAD Solutions, founded in 2010 by Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab, brings a broader commercial operation to the agreement. Its business includes Arab film distribution, international sales, production, marketing and talent management through MAD Celebrity.
The companies will develop original Arabic projects, including talent-driven work built around performers represented by MAD Celebrity. They will also take on third-party projects that need development support, from early writing and creative consultancy to rewriting, script doctoring and preparing material for regional and international markets.
A route from writers to international markets
The partnership gives IRTH’s writers and creative network access to MAD’s regional and international relationships in distribution, sales, production and publicity. It also gives MAD a more direct route into projects at an earlier stage, rather than joining only when a finished film is ready for release.
Haitham Dabbour, IRTH’s founder, said the platform was created to bring strong writers and different Arab voices together and give their ideas the development they need. MAD Solutions co-founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab said development is central to the company’s regional and international expansion.
The first projects from the partnership have not been named. MAD’s Venice presence this year includes Al Baraneya in Venice Days and Conversations with the Sea in the Venice Spotlight section, as well as its annual award at Final Cut in Venice.
What is the MAD Solutions IRTH partnership?
It is a strategic agreement to develop, package and support film, television and other entertainment projects from across the Arab world.
What kind of projects will MAD Solutions and IRTH develop?
The pipeline will include original Arabic projects, talent-driven projects and third-party assignments needing writing, creative consultancy, script doctoring or market preparation.
When will the first partnership projects be announced?
MAD Solutions and IRTH have said the first projects will be announced separately, but have not given a date.
