Yellow Veil Pictures Nabs U.S. Rights to ‘Ashkal’ Following TIFF Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Yellow Veil Pictures has acquired U.S. distribution rights to “Ashkal,” following its screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. The murder mystery is the inaugural feature from Tunisian director Youssef Chebbi and had its world premiere earlier this year at Cannes as part of the Directors’ Fortnight section. Yellow Veil Pictures plans to release the film theatrically in 2023.
“Ashkal” is set amongst derelict, half-finished apartment complexes of a former regime, where a mysterious burnt body is discovered by two police officers. The corpse reveals a puzzling repetition of events. As the investigation progresses, a network of violence and corruption is uncovered throughout the city. Fatma Oussaifi and Mohamed Houcine Grayaa star in the picture.
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“In ‘Ashkal,’ Youssef Chebbi creates images that stick in your mind long after the credits roll, creating an unforgettable, unshakeable cinematic experience,” Joe Yanick, co-founder of Yellow Veil Pictures, said in a statement. “It’s an honor to be able to bring such an incredible piece of work to American audiences.“
Reviews for the film were strong at Cannes, with the National News calling it “…both unsettling and haunting.”
The film is produced by Farès Ladjimi for Supernova Films, Poetik Film and Blast Film. The deal was negotiated by Hugues Barbier, Justin Timms and Yanick for Yellow Veil Pictures and Samuel Blanc and Clémence Lavigne for The Party Films on behalf of the filmmakers.
Formed in 2018, Yellow Veil Pictures is a New York City and Los Angeles-based film sales and distribution company that has released the likes of Frida Kempff’s Sundance hit “Knocking” and the Venice and TIFF selection “The Long Walk” from director Mattie Do.
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