Theeb

2016 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

1916. While war rages in the Ottoman Empire, Hussein raises his younger brother Theeb ("Wolf") in a traditional Bedouin community that is isolated by the vast, unforgiving desert. The brothers' quiet existence is suddenly interrupted when a British Army officer and his guide ask Hussein to escort them to a water well located along the old pilgrimage route to Mecca. So as not to dishonor his recently deceased father, Hussein agrees to lead them on the long and treacherous journey. The young, mischievous Theeb secretly chases after his brother, but the group soon finds themselves trapped amidst threatening terrain riddled with Ottoman mercenaries, Arab revolutionaries, and outcast Bedouin raiders.

Naji Abu Nowar's powerful and assured directorial debut, set in the land of Lawrence of Arabia, is a wondrous "Bedouin Western" about a boy who, in order to survive, must become a man and live up to the name his father gave him.

"A classic adventure film of the best kind, and one thats rarely seen these days." - Variety

"Director Naji Abu Nowar described Theeb as “an Arabic western” in the tradition of Sergio Leone. The movie is that and more." - New York Times

"A truly memorable first feature." - Time Out London

"A mesmerizing coming of age adventure in an elemental setting, “Theeb” becomes both more allegorical and more specific to our historical moment the more you think about it." - Boston Globe

Filmmaker Biography

Born in the UK, Naji Abu Nowar began his filmmaking career when he was accepted into the 2005 RAWI Screenwriters lab held in association with the Sundance Institute, where he developed his first screenplay, Shakoush (Hammer). He then wrote and directed the short film Death of a Boxer (2009), which screened at international film festivals, including the Palm Springs International Shortfest, the Dubai International Film Festival, the Miami Short Film Festival and the Franco-Arab Film Festival. Theeb is his feature film debut.

Director's Statement

In Bedouin law, if a stranger arrives at your tent requesting refuge, you must grant him protection until the threat can be peacefully resolved. This is known as the law of Dakheel and it is considered a sacred duty for a host to protect his Dakheel, no matter what the circumstance. Indeed, there are many stories of a host granting protection to his guest only to discover the Dakheel has killed a member of the host’s own family. But surprisingly this will not deter the host from his duty; he will protect the killer until peace has been made between them. A man’s reputation is defined by what he does in such difficult circumstances. The more impossible the situation the more respect he receives for upholding the law.

Bedouin customs like this have grown from their environment, the desert. They are renowned for their generous hospitality because in the desert you must be able to rely on the kindness of strangers to survive. The terrain is too harsh, water and food too scarce for selfish behaviour. People need to help each other to ensure their mutual existence. It was the combination of a culture of cooperation for survival and a Dakheel type moral dilemma that formed the initial idea for Theeb. What would happen if you were stranded with your worst enemy but needed their help to stay alive? How would this relationship develop?

To overcome such a merciless predicament, a person would have to develop incredible strength of character. In Bedouin culture, a boy who endured such an ordeal would be called a Theeb [Wolf]. If someone calls you a wolf, you have earned their respect as a man of daring and cunning, a person who can achieve impossible feats. The wolf is an ambiguous creature both revered and feared, it is both a pack animal, loyal to its tribe, and a strong individual capable of existing by itself. So to be named Theeb at birth is to have the expectation of greatness placed upon you. To survive the boy must live up to the name his father gave him. But his success would be tainted by the tragic loss of childhood innocence.

- Naji Abu Nowar, June 2014

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