Filming has wrapped in Toronto on Rolla Tahir’s debut feature Jude & the Jinn, which was shot in Egypt and Canada.

The magical realism film is written and directed by Toronto-based Tahir, who is also a producer under her Qan Yama Qan Films banner. Mercedes Cardella of Magic Carpet Productions, Ladan M. Siad of Fugee Films and Rua Wani of Juice and Walnuts Films also serve as producers.

Principal photography began on April 3 in Cairo before wrapping in Toronto on May 8. The film is tentatively slated to release early next year, according to a spokesperson for Qan Yama Qan.

Jude & the Jinn centres on a Nubian woman who immigrates to Canada to study, and her father, who arrived as a refugee. Their lives are turned upside down when the father is deported and the woman befriends a jinn.

The film stars Alexander Siddig, Azza Abbaro, Waleed Abdulhamid, Deena Nina, Emmanuel Kabongo and Hudson Wurster.

Jude & the Jinn, which had a budget of $460,000, was financed by Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch Program and the New Dawn fund.

Rights for the film are available worldwide.

Photo by Baljit Singh