Image Courtesy: Aziz tazi
Moroccan movie Night Walk, which marks the directorial debut of Aziz Tazi, has gained big in its international sales. The film, produced by Tazi himself, has been sold to a number of markets by SNR Films and EAC Distribution. The partners include Russian distributors Paradise MGN who plan a limited theatrical release in the country, High Fliers in the United Kingdom, Smile Entertainment of Scandinavia, Sun Distribution Group of Latin America, Black Hill Pictures of Germany, and Star Entertainment in the Indian market. According to director and producer Tazi, talks for sale in the Turkish market are underway along with negotiations with other distributors in Asia, Middle East, and Eastern Europe.
The movie has gained a slew of international sales prior to its official launch in the United States via Lionsgate/Grindstone Entertainment Group, thereby etching a name for itself in International Cinema. The movie was shot in and around Los Angeles and Morocco and represents the rare case of a movie that has Moroccan elements and yet one of the firsts to secure widespread distribution in the United States and also around the world.
Night Walk stars Mickey Rourke, the star of critically acclaimed movies like Diner, Rumble Fish, 9 1/2 Weeks, Barfly, Angel Heart, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, The Rainmaker, Buffalo ’66, Get Carter, The Pledge, Spun, Once Upon a time in Mexico, and Man of Fire. Rourke has also starred in commercial cinema like Iron Man 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Night Walk also stars Sean Stone, Sarah Alami, Sarah Alami, La Fouine, and Eric Roberts.
Director and Producer Aziz Tazi promotes the movie as a tale that aims to demolish the usual stereotypes about Arabs and Muslims in Hollywood, which he puts in the form of 3 Bs’ – Bomber, Billionaire, or Belly Dancer. The movie, which talks about a man who is wrongfully accused of the murder of his wife, premiered at the 2019 Moscow International Film Festival and also won Rourke a nomination for Best Supporting Actor.