Mariam Nihal
Saudi Gazette
Oscar nominated and BAFTA award winning movie ‘Theeb’ was showcased at New York University Arts Center in Abu Dhabi .
Film enthusiasts gathered for a special screening of the movie, shot in Jordan, that tells the story of a young Bedouin boy who escorts a British officer across the desert during World War One in 1916.
The screening was followed by a panel discussion with the film’s writer and director Naji Abu Nowar and producer Rupert Lloyd.
Saudi Gazette caught up with Naji during the panel discussion that was moderated by Emirati director and producer Nujoom Al Ghanem. The director confessed he was not expecting such a huge reaction. “We honestly didn’t know what to expect. We were low budget and making an independent film with very little money. We made the film in an isolated place, with a small team that worked really hard and even post production was done by us. When we showcased it to the world we had no idea what the response would be. It was overwhelming to see the reaction from all over the world and it was a very special moment and definitely with all the awards and accolades, we have definitely exceeded the expectations and we are very happy about that!” As a director, the most special aspect of the movie was the year he spent living with Bedouins during the making of the film. “We developed the entire movie with the Bedouin community of Southern Jordan and they were the most hospitable and wonderful people I have ever met. The film really comes from them. They are the real authors of the film. It is their story, their history and storytelling and culture. I had a great time and we made the film together as a big community, which was like making a film with your family. It was really an amazing time in my life and that was the best part of the film,” Naji told Saudi Gazette.
Talking about the significance of such a movie from the Middle East, he said: “I think for independent film making in the Middle East, it is a really important film. This is because of the new generation of film makers trying to make their films from all Arabic countries. It shows that if you work together as a team and if you work very hard then you can make a film and you can make it successful without a lot of money and support. So I think it is a very important thing. And I look forward to seeing movies coming out of the Arab world in the next few years from people who are like minded. I think the future is very bright for Arab cinema and I am very excited as a film fan and to see what’s going to happen.”
Discussing his future plans he mentioned a sequel may be coming soon. “We are looking for a potential sequel to Theeb in a way. We are researching history now, so watch this space and we will announce something when we are ready.”
‘Theeb’ was nominated for the ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ Oscar at the 2016 Academy Awards and also won the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Award for Outstanding Debut by British writer, director or producer this year.
