Ryan Ali Joins Alexandra Billings in QUEEN TUT Film

Toronto Principal photography runs from August 8-September 2, 2022 on the indie feature, Queen Tut, a queer immigration revolutionary tale directed by Egyptian-Canadian up-and-coming filmmaker Reem Morsi (virgins!).

Ryan Ali (The Hummingbird Project, SkyMed) stars in the titular role alongside SAG Award-nominee Alexandra Billings (Transparent). Queen Tut is produced by Shant Joshi (Framing Agnes) and Lindsay Blair Goeldner (I Like Movies) of Fae Pictures with Lauren Saarimaki (Only Light will Touch Us, Motherly, For the Sake of Vicious) as Associate Producer and Aeschylus Poulos (Brother, Sleeping Giant) and Sonya Di Rienzo (Brother) of Hawkeye Pictures and Alexandra Billings executive producing.

Filming will take place in Toronto at the York U Motion Media Studio at Cinespace Studios, Nathan Philips Square, THE VILLAGE on Church Street, the Danforth, and East Chinatown.

Queen Tut is based on a script from Abdul Malik (Peace by Chocolate, Transplant), Kaveh Mohebbi (The Lake, The Communist's Daughter, That's My DJ), and Bryan Mark.

The story follows Nabil (Ali), a shy Egyptian teenager who is discovering a new life in Toronto after his seamstress mother passes away in Cairo. He befriends a trans mother (Billings), who inspires him to resurrect his mother's soul in himself by sewing and donning the magnum opus dress that she never completed making.

Queen Tut marks a next step in the growth of Fae Pictures, a production company on a mission to decolonize Hollywood. The company recently launched the documentary Framing Agnes at Sundance garnering 2 awards, wrapped production on the Super Channel series Streams Flow From A River, and presented an early cut of the horror film In Flames at the Frontières Market at Cannes.

"Queen Tut tells a story that tugs at the heart. A story about love and acceptance of ourselves and being able to move forward while cherishing the beautiful memories of the past. I'm exhilarated that this heartwarming story is coming to life through the dedication of our talented and passionate team," said Director Reem Morsi.

"We are absolutely delighted to finally be making and soon sharing Queen Tut with audiences around the world," added producer Shant Joshi. "It is a story that our team has been dying to tell and embodies our mission to decolonize Hollywood in its emotional journey of an Egyptian teenager discovering himself through immersion into the world of queerness, transness, and dragness.

Cinematography by Issa Shah (EZRA, Grae: Permanent Manic), production design by Michael McShane (Escape the Field, Dragon's Den) costumes by Leeland Mitchell (The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy), editing by Ben Allan (Bigfoot and the Burtons), and choreography by Hollywood Jade (Canada's Drag Race, Priyanka: Bitch I'm Busy, Cake and Queen of the North, Revenge of the Black Best Friend).

The film is financed and produced by Fae Pictures in association with Crave and Hawkeye Pictures with the participation of Telefilm Canada and Ontario Creates in partnership with the York University Motion Media Studio at Cinespace Studios.

Queen Tut was selected for the Canadian Creative Accelerator in Los Angeles, the Ontario Creates International Financing Forum, the INSIDE OUT Film Finance Forum, and the Whistler Power Pitch. Worldwide rights remain available.

Alexandra Billings is an actress, singer, author, teacher, and activist. Alex starred as 'Madame Morrible' in the Broadway production of WICKED, the first trans actor to portray the role. She previously starred on Broadway in the Manhattan Theatre Club production of THE NAP at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater.

Ben Bratley of the NY Times called her performance "...a sensational Broadway debut..." and "...a marvel of glamorous menace." Alex stars in the upcoming Amazon television series The Peripheral. She starred in the award-winning television series Transparent, has had recurring guest starring roles on The Conners, Never Have I Ever, and Goliath, and guest starring roles on How to Get Away with Murder, Grey's Anatomy, E.R., among others.

Ms. Billings was honored to receive the Visibility Award from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). She is the recipient of five After Dark Awards and a Joseph Jefferson Award. In 2016, she moderated a panel during Transgender Awareness Month at the (Obama) White House; she won the TPA Award, the Rainbow Spirit Award, and was inducted into the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in Chicago.

Her autobiographical memoir This Time for Me is published by Amazon Books. Alex earned her Master's Degree at CSULB. She is currently an Associate Professor of Theater at USC. She is a Viewpoints Associate at The Steppenwolf Theater.

Reem Morsi is a Toronto based Egyptian/Canadian writer/director/producer. She worked as a professional scuba diver then a human rights officer at the United Nations and other International Organizations for a decade prior to becoming a filmmaker. Reem's first feature film was the thriller/drama, The Last Mark (TIFF Industry Selects 2021). Reem has also directed two episodes of Virgins! a new CBC Gem series, including the series finale. Reem's shorts have played at TIFF, Cannes Short Film Corner, Yorkton, BBC, and Cinesud.

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