Director Naji Abu Nowar's Theeb has been selected to compete at the Orizzonti Competition (New Horizons) of the 71st Venice Film Festival, which launches in August 27th, 2014.

Theeb is 100-minute desert adventure film which delves into the forgotten sand dunes of Arab history. Written and directed by Jordanian Naji Abu Nowar, Theeb is his feature directorial debut. The project was first started in 2010 and it received a sponsorship from the Abu Dhabi Sanad Fund, the Doha Film Institute as well as the Visions Sud Est Fund.

Theeb has been produced by Bayt Al Shawareb, which was founded by Jordanian Writer and Producer Bassel Ghandour, in association with Rupert Lloyd's Noor Pictures and in co-production with Nasser Kalaji and Laith Majali's Immortal Entertainment. Nadine Toukan was the Executive Producer.

Set in the Arabian Desert of 1916, the film follows Theeb, a young Bedouin boy and his elder brother Hussein, as they leave the safety of their tribe to venture on a treacherous journey at the dawn of the Great Arab Revolt. If Theeb is to survive he must quickly learn about adulthood, trust and betrayal.

Theeb was shot in the Wadi Rum and Wadi Araba deserts of southern Jordan. The film was the result of collaboration between the filmmakers and the local Bedouin communities. It was cast entirely from the local tribesmen, who were given acting workshops during the eight months prior to principal photography. Co-scripted by Bassel Ghandour and Naji Abu Nowar, who also directed the film, Theeb stars Jacir Eid opposite of Hussein Salameh, Hassan Mutlag, along with Marji Audeh and Jack Fox.

Comprised of an international team, the film's crew included Wolfgang Thaler, an award-winning Austrian Director of Photography, British Composer Jerry Lane and British Production Designer Anna Lavell.

Theeb marks the first feature film for Jordanian filmmaker Naji Abu Nowar who kick-started his cinematic career in 2005 when he graduated from RAWI Screenwriters Lab, an initiative of the Royal Film Commission of Jordan created in conjunction with Sundance Institute's Feature Film Program to support emerging Middle Eastern filmmakers with their first or second feature films. In 2009, he wrote and directed his first short Death of a Wrestler, which has been screened in several international film festivals including Palm Springs International Shortfest, Miami Short Film Festival, Dubai International Film Festival and Franco-Arab Film Festival.