Noaz Deshe’s surrealist refugee drama, Xoftex, is poised to be featured at the Pune International Film Festival in India. The film will be part of the Global Cinema section, screening on February 17 at 5:30 PM.

In addition, Xoftex has been secured by MAD World, with MAD Distribution, the MENA-based sales and marketing division of MAD Solutions, overseeing its distribution in the Arabic-speaking region.

The film has garnered favorable critical acclaim, with Damon Wise from Deadline describing it as “an unorthodox, often oblique, but emotionally resonant endeavor to portray the disorientation of a stateless mind.” Laurence Boyce of Screen Daily praised its unique storytelling, highlighting its departure from conventional realism and traditional narratives in refugee cinema. Similarly, Susan Gottlieb of Cineurope commended Deshe’s creative approach and his commitment to amplifying the voices of those impacted.

Xoftex focuses on Palestinian Syrian teenager Nasser and his elder brother Yassin, who reside in a Greek refugee camp while they await a decision on their asylum application. They spend their time recording comedy sketches, dreaming of creating zombie films, and fantasizing about relocating to Sweden. The film’s fusion of realism, surrealism, and art-house experimentalism encapsulates the essence of the global refugee crisis.

Deshe not only wrote, directed, shot, edited, scored, and produced the film but also shares production credits with Andro Steinborn, Jordan Tappis, and Beau Willimon. The film is co-produced by Christophe Audeguis and executive-produced by a diverse team including Majd Hafiry, Osama Hafiry, Babak Jalali, Patrick Schorn, Grischa Sautter, Gabriel Stavenhagen, Zachary Guglin, Julian Chavez, Eve Gabereau, Maria Drandaki, and Didar Domehri.

The cast features first-time actor and rapper Abdulrahman Diab, actor and director Osama Hafiry, along with Jalal Albaroudi, Hazem Saleh, Mouataz Alshaltouh, Mohamad Al Rashi, Amal Omran, Lujain Mustafa, Ramadan Hamoud, Mohammad Dibo, and Yasin El-Harouk.