At the 10th annual event which ended July 8, the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) can report its first deal.

France's Pretty Pictures acquired world rights (outside Africa) to Kenyan comedy Malooned directed by Bob Nyanja.

Pretty Pictures also acquired the remake rights to the story, which is about a man and a woman stuck for three days in the lavatory of a Nairobi high rise office building. Mark Mutahi wrote the screenplay.

Malooned won the Silver Dhow at the Zanzibar festival, while The Juju Story won the Golden Dhow at the event.

The film was shot in English with some Swahili, and Pretty Pictures said it plans to cut the running time from the current 105 minutes to about 85 or 90 minutes. The company also plans to change the title (which is a play on words of marooned and loo).

Pretty's James Velaise said that it was refreshing to 'see modern funny and sophisticated Africa in a metropolis,' rather than a village-set story.

Gabriella Mutia and Godfrey Odhiambo star in the Cinematic Solutions Production, which was produced by Muriuki Gitonga, Tony Rimwa and Zorro Luhwili.

In its homneland, Malooned has been relased in cinemas in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

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