EXCLUSIVE: Cairo-based New Century Production is putting together an ambitious six-picture slate featuring some of Egypt’s leading veteran and independent filmmakers, including the next project from Rags And Tatters director Ahmad Abdalla.

Entitled Décor, the project is scripted by renowned Egyptian screenwriter Mohamed Diab, who previously wrote and directed award-winning sexual harassment drama 678. Khaled Abol Naga (Microphone, Villa 69) and Egyptian actress Horreya Farghaly will head the cast.

Scheduled to start shooting in the next few weeks, Décor marks the first big-budget production from Abdalla who has won acclaim for independent productions such as Heliopolis, Microphone and current Egyptian box office hit Rags And Tatters.

Abdalla plans to shoot Decor in black-and-white – the first time the format has been used in Egyptian cinema since Mohamed Fadel’s Nasser 56, about the late Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser, in 1996.

New Century will also produce Abnormal Decisions – written and to be directed by veteran Egyptian filmmaker Daoud Abdel Sayed, whose credits include Land Of Fear and Kit Kat, which both feature in DIFF’s book of the 100 best Arab films of all time.

Fast becoming one of Egypt’s most prolific producers, New Century is also developing an as-yet-untitled project from Yousry Nasrallah. The film will mark the second collaboration between New Century and Nasrallah following the director’s acclaimed Cannes 2012 competition title After The Battle.

New Century is a new production branch of Dollar Film, the oldest filmmaking company in the Arab world, which was established in 1949 and originally specialised in film distribution. The company will present the $10,000 New Century Filmmaker Award at the close of Dubai Film Connection on Wednesday night.

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