Zombie Goes Zombie

Prominent Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy’s recently launched, Dubai-based Fortress Film Clinic shingle is set to make the Arab world’s first zombie comedy, “Zombie Gozombie,” to be directed by versatile auteur Ahmad Abdalla, known on the fest circuit for “Microphone,” about Egypt’s hip-hop scene, “Rags & Tatters” and melodrama “Decor” (pictured). 　　The plan is to start shooting next year on the pic, which will star popular Egyptian thesp Ahmed el-Fishawy (“Cairo 678”). El-Fishawy will also co-produce via his Crystal Dog shingle. 　　The script is by young Egyptian cartoonist comic and screenwriter Kafr al-Sheikh, known as Andeel, whose satirical work has gained prominence since Egypt’s 2011 revolution. He has a hot online radio show. 　　“Ahmad Abdalla in my opinion never makes a movie just for the sake of being funny or entertaining. He’s always the kind of director who has his voice in the story,” said Hefzy. “This film is more than it just seems: there is something slightly political about a zombie movie coming out of the Middle East today, even though he is trying to hide that.” 　　“Zombie Gozombie” turns on a zombie outbreak during a soccer match between a marginal local team and a top Egyptian club. It’s set in Kafr el-Sheikh, a rural city a few hours from Cairo and a much more closed community than the Egyptian capital. “That’s part of the humor of the film,” Hefzy said. The pic’s main goal is to play well commercially in the Arab world. 　　Fortress Film Clinic, which was launched earlier this year, is a joint venture between Hefzy’s Cairo-based Film Clinic and Dubai-based private equity find Fortress Capital Investments Group. It marks the first film venture of this type set up between an oil-rich fund in the UAE, where the film industry is in its infancy, and Egypt, which has a storied cinematic past. The new company is also behind Oscar-nommed Palestinian director Hany Abu Assad’s “The Idol,” the inspirational tale of how “Arab Idol” winner Mohammed Assaf became a golden boy from Gaza. Pic is screening at the Dubai Film Festival.