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Night Courier

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Night Courier
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAli Kalthami
Written byAli Kalthami
Mohammed Algarawi
Produced byAbdulrahman Jerash
Chawki Knis[1]
StarringMohamad Aldokhei
CinematographyAhmed Tahoun
Edited byFakhreddine Amri
Production
companies
Telfaz11
Muvi Studios
Distributed byFront Row (Saudi Arabia)
MPM Premium (International)
Release dates
  • September 8, 2023 (2023-09-08) (TIFF)
  • December 14, 2023 (2023-12-14) (Saudi Arabia)
Running time
110 minutes
CountrySaudi Arabia
LanguageArabic

Night Courier, also known as Mandoob, (Arabic: مندوب الليل) is a 2023 Saudi Arabian black comedy crime thriller film[2] co-written and directed by Ali Kalthami in his directorial debut.[3] Starring Mohamad Aldokhei as a poor, mentally fragile man who sells alcohol at night to pay for his sick father's treatment.[4] It had its world premiere at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2023 as part of the Discovery section.[5]

Synopsis

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Fahad is a 30-year-old man from a lower social class who lives his life under constant pressure due to his job as a customer service in a telecommunications company and because he must obtain money to pay for the treatment of his sick father and help his divorced sister. His situation worsens when he is fired, so he decides to work as a delivery man to save money by entering the nightlife and the business of selling and stealing alcoholic beverages.[6]

Cast

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  • Mohamad Aldokhei as Fahad
  • Mohammed Altawyan as Nasser
  • Hajar Alshammari as Sara
  • Sarah Taibah as Maha
  • Abdullah Ahmad as Alaa
  • Mohammed Algarawi as Abu Saud
  • Layla Malik as Suha
  • Morouj as Sawsan
  • Abo Salu as Sultan

Production

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Principal photography took place at the end of 2022, lasting 55 days in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.[7][8]

Release

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It had its world premiere on September 8, 2023, at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival,[9] then screened on September 29, 2023, at the 19th Zurich Film Festival,[10] on November 29, 2023, at the 41st Torino Film Festival,[11] on January 8, 2024, at the 35th Palm Springs International Film Festival,[12] and on April 24, 2024, at the Malmö Arab Film Festival.[13] It was commercially released on December 14, 2023, in Saudi Arabian theaters,[14] then it was released on January 11, 2024, in the rest of the theaters in the Arab region.[15][16] International distribution rights were sold to MPM Premium.[17]

Reception

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Box-office

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In its first weekend in theaters, the film sold 114,000 tickets grossing $1.58 million,[18] surpassing Wonka and The Boy and the Heron, becoming the highest opening for a Saudi production.[19] By the end of February 2024, it attracted 605,000 viewers grossing $7.5 million.[20]

Accolades

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Year Award / Festival Category Recipient Result Ref.
2023 19th Zurich Film Festival Golden Eye Night Courier Nominated [21]
41st Torino Film Festival Valdata Award - Best Feature Film Won [22]
2024 24th Arab Film Festival Rotterdam Best Actor Mohamad Aldokhei Won [23]
Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival Best New Director Ali Kalthami Won [24]

References

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  1. ^ أحمد, وائل بن (2023-08-06). "العرض العالمي الأول لفيلم "مندوب الليل" في مهرجان تورنتو". أوراس (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  2. ^ "Saudi film 'Mandoob' to have its US premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival". Arab News. 2024-01-06. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  3. ^ طلعت, علياء. ""مندوب الليل".. قصص من الواقع السعودي تجول المهرجانات العالمية". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  4. ^ "بطل «مندوب الليل» لـ«الشرق الأوسط»: الرياض هي القصة ولست أنا". aawsat.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  5. ^ "Saudi film 'Mandoob' premieres at Toronto International Film Festival". Arab News. 2023-09-09. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  6. ^ المولى, سارة (2023-12-15). "موعد نزول فيلم مندوب الليل.. القصة والأبطال". قناة ومنصة المشهد. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  7. ^ "علي الكلثمي لإيلاف: تصوير مشاهد "مندوب الليل" كلها صعبة والعرض في "تورنتو" بداية مرحلة جديدة". إيلاف (in Arabic). 2023-09-13. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  8. ^ "صحيفة الشرق الأوسط | الفيلم السعودي «مندوب الليل» استغرق تصويره 55 يوماً في شوارع الرياض _الأوسط (صحيفة_العرب_الأولى)". موقع نبض. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  9. ^ "Mandoob". Toronto International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  10. ^ "Mandoob". Zurich Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  11. ^ "Torino Film Festival, il programma della 41esima edizione". Sky TG24 (in Italian). 2023-11-09. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  12. ^ Akkad, Farah El (2024-01-06). "Saudi Film "Mandoob" Makes Debut at Palm Springs Film Festival". Leaders. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  13. ^ "«فيلم مندوب الليل» يعرض اليوم بمهرجان مالمو للسينما". الجمهور الإخباري (in Arabic). 2024-04-24. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  14. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (2023-12-13). "Saudi Thriller 'Mandoob,' About a Bootleg Alcohol Dealer, Becomes First Arab Film Mastered by Dolby (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  15. ^ تواريخ العرض: فيلم - مندوب الليل - 2023 (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19 – via Elcinema.com.
  16. ^ "أفلام عالمية متنوعة تعرضها صالات السينما القطرية هذا الأسبوع". www.qna.org.qa (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  17. ^ Barraclough, Leo (2023-09-08). "Dark Comedic Crime Thriller 'Mandoob' Picked Up by MPM Premium Ahead of Toronto Premiere, Teaser Debuts (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  18. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (2023-12-18). "Saudi Thriller 'Mandoob' Beats 'Wonka' to Score Record Local Opening". Variety. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  19. ^ Rosser, Michael. "Saudi thriller 'Mandoob' beats 'Wonka' and breaks local box office record". Screen. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  20. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (2024-02-28). "Saudi Thriller 'Night Courier' Tops 600K Admissions At Home In Fresh Hit For Telfaz11". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  21. ^ "News from the ZFF and film industry". Zurich Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  22. ^ Skrok, Magdalena (2023-12-03). "Torino Film Festival 2023: here are all the winners". World of Technology, Video Games & Digital Entertainment. Archived from the original on 2024-02-26. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  23. ^ ""لا جوائز للأفلام السورية".. اختتام مهرجان الفيلم العربي في روتردام". Syria TV. Archived from the original on 2024-06-05. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  24. ^ "علي الكلثمي يفوز بجائزة «أفضل مخرج قادم» في مهرجان هوشي منه السينمائي الدولي". Al-Riyadh. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
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