Bassel Ghandour
Production
Biography
Director Bassel Ghandour is a writer, producer, and director. Previously, he co-wrote and produced Theeb, the 2016 nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at both the Academy Awards and the BAFTAs. He graduated from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. His screenplay for The Alleys was selected for the Rawi, EAVE workshops, and Sorfond Pitching Forum.
Known For
Set in the Arabian Desert of 1916, the film follows Theeb, a young Bedouin boy, and his brother Hussein as they leave the safety of their tribe to venture on a treacherous journey at the dawn of the Great Revolt. If Theeb is to survive he must quickly learn about adulthood, trust and betrayal.
Theeb
In a claustrophobic neighborhood where gossip and violence police people's behavior, the lives of residents intertwine and collide as some try to maintain social norms while others try to break them.
The Alleys
Ramy is a peaceful teenager who enjoys his skates, playing cards, and a few cigarettes with his friends. He lives in a humble neighborhood where manhood and violence go hand-in-hand. One day, as he jokes around with his friends out on the street, his words are mistaken for an insult by the local gangster. Events escalate when tit-for-tat violence ensues. The Amman district’s compacted hills, streets, and alleys tell the story of how fragile safety and stability can be in the shadows of anger and revenge.