Koudéta Films has secured the French distribution rights for the film Thirteen in Gaza, directed by Palestinian filmmaker Hosam Abu Dan.
Mad World, the international sales division of the Pan-Arab distributor Mad Solutions, finalised the French distribution agreement. The production marks the first film captured on the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023. A Palestinian crew filmed the drama under wartime conditions in Gaza.
Survival forces the father into difficult moral choices when he becomes involved with Khalil, a trader profiting from the wartime economy, according to the synopsis. Watermelon Pictures has picked up the title for distribution in the United States. The Middle East premiere of Thirteen in Gaza is scheduled for the upcoming Doha Film Festival.
Koudéta Films said in a statement, “Hosam Abu Dan has made an essential and profoundly moving film, a testament to humanity in the darkest of times.” Koudéta Films is in the process of launching a French distribution label dedicated to political and social films, with Palestine at the heart of its mission, according to a statement.
The company intends to release the film in French cinemas alongside an impact campaign.
