THE EXHIB. &
DISTRIBUTORS
EMPIRE INTERNATIONAL | LEBANON, EMPIRE INTERNATIONAL GULF | UAE, ALLIED FILM DISTRIBUTORS (AFD) | EGYPT
CAREER HIGHLIGHT(S):
Founded in 1919 as a chain of movie theaters, Empire is Sony Pictures' exclusive theatrical distributor in the MENA region. Empire International Gulf (Dubai) and Allied Film Distributors (Cairo) cooperate with the Beirut head office. In 2022, the company partnered with BG Film, a Turkish film production and distribution company, to bring Turkish movies to the region. In 2021, Mario Jr. Haddad joined Gianluca Chakra in launching Front Row Productions, which debuted with Netflix's first Arabic film and adaptation of the Italian film PERFECT STRANGERS.
MARIO HADDAD SR.
CEO
LEBANESE
MARIO HADDAD JR.
RESIDENT OF DISTRIBUTION
LEBANESE
TWELVE-MONTH HIGHLIGHT(S):
In 2024, FRP partnered with Saudi production company Alamiya Filmed Entertainment to produce the road-trip comedy MY TREAT, starring an ensemble of Egyptian and Saudi cast alongside Turkish superstar Burak Özçivit. The company has also started shooting THE OWL — an underworld thriller written and directed by Zaid Abu Hamdan.