Theeb - Wolf
In the Ottoman province of Hijaz during World War I, a young Bedouin boy experiences a greatly hastened coming of age as he embarks on a perilous desert journey to guide a British officer to his secret destination.
In 1916, in the Hejaz Province of the Ottoman Empire, the young Bedouin Theeb (Jacir Eid) is learning from his elder brother Hussein (Hussein Salameh) the skills for everyday survival in their harsh environment. Immersed in a way of life that has endured for centuries, the brothers are unaware of the tremendous upheavals taking place at the fringes of their world: the First World War is raging in Europe, the Ottoman Empire is coming undone, the Great Arab Revolt is brewing, and the British officer T.E. Lawrence is plotting with the Arab Prince Faisal to establish an Arab kingdom. When British officer Edward (Jack Fox) and his Bedouin guide Marji (Marji Audeh) stumble wayward into their tribe's camp, the two brothers' destiny is forever changed. Abiding by the Bedouin custom that guests cannot be refused aid, Hussein is assigned to accompany the two strangers to their destination — with the uninvited Theeb, eager for adventure, following close behind. The ensuing journey, filled with danger and hardship, will result in Theeb's greatly hastened maturation in a culture where a man's honour and righteousness determines his inclusion or expulsion from the community.
Festivals & awards
OSCAR-Nomination 2015
Bester fremdsprachiger Film
Festival del cinema Venezia
Orizzonti Award for Best Director
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Nomination Best Youth Feature Film
Cairo International Film Festival
Jury Prize for Best Cinematography and Artistic Direction
Camerimage
Best Directorial Debut
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Tokyo FILMeX
Credits
Pro Material
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Press voices
«Ein sagenhaftes Abenteuer.» Tages-Anzeiger
«Wir tauchen ein in die monochrome Schönheit der jordanischen Wüste mit ihren pittoresk zerklüfteten Felsen.» Programmzeitung
«La beauté des images, combinée à l’âpreté du récit, suggère une émotion d’autant plus vive qu’elle est concentrée sur un jeune enfant particulièrement attachant. Il y a ici un mélange heureux entre intimisme et grand spectacle qui fait beaucoup de bien.» Tribune de Genève, Pascal Gavillet
«Theeb: coups de feu dans le désert.» Le temps
«Theeb, c’est d’abord un palpitant récit d’aventure à l’ancienne, alliant la violence des hommes et celle de la nature.» Le temps
«Das Leben der Beduinen, die noch vor wenigen Jahrzehnten als nomadisierende Jäger und Viehzüchter die Wüste durchzogen: Davon geht die Faszination eines Films aus, in dem die alte Geschichte von zwei Feinden, die in der Wildnis aufeinander angewiesen sind, auf originelle Weise neu erzählt wird.» Neue Zürcher Zeitung
«Die kleine Geschichte des Jungen auf seiner Reise zum Erwachsenwerden ist eingebettet in die grosse Historie des Ersten Weltkriegs.» Nordwestschweiz
«Ein klassischer Abenteuerfilm der allerbesten Art, der die erstaunlichsten Schauplätze bieten kann in einer gut erzählten Geschichte über einen
Beduinenbuben.» Variety
«Die beinahe archaisch anmutende Erzählung vom Kampf ums nackte Überleben, vom Guten gegen das Böse, erfährt in diesem abgelegenen Winkel eines zerfallenden Imperiums angesichts einer neuen Weltordnung eine ebenso neue Dimension.» Filmbulletin
«Das Beste aus Venedig: Theeb erobert die Welt in einem (Sand)Sturm, ein Juwel, das den Orizzonti Award für die beste Regie verdient hat. Für eine Nacht gehörte Venedig den Beduinen. Es lebe ihre filmesche Power!» Huffington Post
«In grandiosen Bildern erzählt Theeb die parabelhafte Geschichte eines schmerzhaft verfrühten Erwachsenwerdens.» Programmzeitung
«Das ist zum einen eine in wunderbaren Bildern gefilmte Abenteuergeschichte, zum andern eine Geschichte vom Erwachsenwerden, abseits der grossen (Welt-)Geschichte in einer historisch bewegten Zeit.» Kulturmagazin 041 Luzern
«Theeb deals with is nothing less grand than survival; survival on an individual level for the protagonist but also the survival of a culture and a way of life. Nowar impressively treats both themes at the same time without overtly drawing parallels and further amplifies what are small-scale relationships and actions by letting the story play out against one of the world’s most majestic backdrops.» The Hollywood Reporter
«Shot entirely on location against the ravishing landscape of Wadi Rum and Wadi Araba, and cast with non-professional actors from one of the last of Jordan's nomadic Bedouin tribes to settle down, Naji Abu Nowar's understated gem is a remarkable accomplishment for a small crew working on a shoestring budget. Radiating passion from every frame, Theeb is a skilful, genre-crossing blend of a coming-of-age drama and a western.» Rasga Salti, TiFF
«Naji Abu Nowar’s impressive debut feature riffs on oater themes, and the stunning location work in southern Jordan has the grandeur of Monument Valley, yet this is no Western knockoff but a well-told WWI-era story grounded in Bedouin-specific customs.» Jay Weissberg, Variety
«Best of Venice: Theeb Takes the World by (Sand) Storm.» Nina Rothe, Huffpost
«Theeb deals with is nothing less grand than survival; survival on an individual level for the protagonist but also the survival of a culture and a way of life. Nowar impressively treats both themes at the same time without overtly drawing parallels and further amplifies what are small-scale relationships and actions by letting the story play out against one of the world’s most majestic backdrops.» Boyd Van Hoeij, The Hollywood Reporter
»An amazing debut feature from Naji Abu Nowar that shouldn’t be missed. It’s rare that a film manages to surprise viewers at every turn, especially for cinephiles who are so well versed in film, but this movie does just that and it’s a very rewarding experience.» William Brownridge, Toronto Film Scene