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The director of "The Man Who Sold His Skin" eliminates the owner of the true story

The film, in which the actress "Monica Bellucci" starred, tells the story of the Syrian refugee who left his country to Lebanon to meet the girl of his dreams. However, his circumstances prevented him from marrying her, while she married and traveled. the owner
After that, the Syrian refugee in Lebanon allows his back to become a canvas for a famous tattoo artist. He sells his back and turns it into a piece of art, serving him as a visa, where he hopes to reunite with his love in Europe.
The real hero
The Syrian artist, Wassim Abdel Majid, told the Levantnews about a fraud he was exposed to in the film that was one of the 56 films nominated for the 93rd Academy Awardsthe Oscars. The film is based on his true story, However he was eventually eliminated.
Abdul-Majid said that in 2007, he had obstacles in his official papers including identity card, and as a result he lost all his civil rights. The problems continued for 3 years until 2011.
The theatre artist added that these problems have become an obsession for him, as he has turned into a strange person in his homeland, and he does not have any document that he can use to rent a car and so on.
The outbreak of the Syrian revolution
After the outbreak of the Syrian revolution, in 2011, an amnesty was granted by the Syrian regime. For the first time, Abdul Majid was able to hire a lawyer, and took back his identity card and the military service book.
Wassim, who was 30 years at the time, managed to obtain a Syrian passport, which enabled him to leave Syria, and head to Dubai for the first time.
The fraud
After 3 years of working with MBC, Abdul Majid met the Tunisian director, Kaouther Ben Hania, at the Dubai Film Festival.
A conversation took place between Abdul Majid and Kaouther Ben Hania. He told her about the obstacles he faced in Syria and the director showed an interest in the story.
According to him, they agreed on working together on the “Man who sold his skin”. However, the Tunisian director soon eliminated him from the film. the owner
Abdul Majid co-wrote the script. After signing a contract with a French company, Kaouther rescinded the contract and signed a new one.
Wassim confirmed that he wrote the film along with the Tunisian director, referring to a love relationship brought them together.
He explained that he married Kaouther, revealing that he had correspondence with the French Ministry of Culture, and that he had obtained an artist residency in France. Accompanied by the director, he attended several festivals and workshops supporting independent film production.
The film received writing and development grants in more than one festival, in Sweden, France and Belgium. The film was completed after he married Kaouther, then things began to change.
He pointed out that he has the help of some friends and associations linked with human and refugee rights in Europe.
A legal file is now being worked on in partnership with some lawyers to prove his initial writing of the film. He confirmed not giving up his moral and artistic right, because he discovered that he was a technical laboratory that was exploited, emotionally, physically and spiritually. At the end, he was expelled from France. and his life destroyed due to this.
Later, he obtained a visa through the American international director, Michael Moore, and left for the United States of America, noting that the case is now being decided by the French judiciary.
Abdul Majid concluded that he watched the film in Los Angeles, and that he is very happy with it, but at the same time he is sad about the fraud he faced morally and professionally.
It is noteworthy that the Syrian Wassim Abdul Majid is a theatre artist. He has many works in Syria, and he is the son of the media professor Abdul Maeen Abdul Majid. the owner
Levantnews-Samer Dahdouh
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- April 23, 2025
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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