Personal details
- Birth Date: 1979-10-25
- Birth Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Professions: Writer, Director, Producer
Mahdi Fleifel’s story kicks off in Dubai, but honestly, the guy’s got stamps from half the world in his passport—he bounces between Denmark, the UK, and Greece like it’s no big deal. He’s not just some film school grad (shoutout to the National Film & Television School in Britain), he actually went and started Nakba FilmWorks in London back in 2010—yeah, before it was cool to go indie. Fast-forward a bit, and Fleifel drops TO A LAND UNKNOWN, which didn’t just sneak into Cannes 2024—it exploded there, snagging attention at Directors’ Fortnight and racking up a wild number of awards and nominations. Over a hundred festival showings, more than 20 shiny prizes, and a Gotham nod for Best Breakthrough Director? Not too shabby. Plus, the movie’s about to hit theaters in over 30 countries, so good luck avoiding it. But wait, his résumé doesn’t stop there. His first big splash was A WORLD NOT OURS, which popped off at Toronto and collected trophies like they were Pokémon cards—over 30, including the Berlinale Peace Prize and big wins at Edinburgh and DOC:NYC. In 2016, Fleifel bagged the Silver Bear at Berlinale for A MAN RETURNED, and that one even got the European Film Awards nod. Cannes saw his short A DROWNING MAN, which ended up in the BAFTA race, and then there’s I SIGNED THE PETITION, which took home Best Documentary Short at IDFA. Oh, and 3 LOGICAL EXITS? That debuted at IFF Rotterdam. Basically, if it’s a film festival, Fleifel’s probably already been there, done that, and left with the hardware.
Back in '88, a guy escapes the chaos in Lebanon and lands in Denmark, not by choice but because, well, bombs and bullets tend to speed up your travel plans. He’s got nothing but a suitcase full of memories and probably a bit of trauma, but hey, new country, new start, right? So he’s thrown into this chilly, unfamiliar world where even the bread tastes different, trying to make sense of Danish customs (spoiler: the language is a nightmare). All the while, he’s haunted by what he left behind—family, home, the sound of his old life. Still, he doesn’t really have time to mope. Survival is the name of the game, and fitting in is an uphill battle. But slowly, bit by bit, he starts building something—maybe not a dream, but at least a shot at normal. Well, whatever normal means when you’ve crossed continents just to feel safe.
October 25, 1979
Konidela Ram Charan
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
45 years old