Alongside producers, Bassel Ghandour and Rupert Lloyd, director Naji Abu Nowar
will travel to Canada to attend the North American Premiere of his feature debut
Theeb in the 39th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Running from September 4-14, 2014, the festival hosts the film screening as part of Discovery program, which showcases feature films by first and second time directors from around the world, turning the spotlight on up-and-coming directors. Theeb screens three times at the festival's
Scotiabank theatres.

This comes after receiving Best Director Award for Abu Nowar yesterday, marking the film's first award, at the 71st Venice Film Festival where it had its World Premiere at the Orizzonti Competition (New Horizons).

Theeb is a 100-minute desert adventure film which delves into the forgotten sand dunes of Arab history. Written and directed by Jordanian Naji Abu Nowar, the film is his feature directorial debut. The project was first started in 2010 and received a sponsorship from the Abu Dhabi Sanad Fund, the Doha Film Institute as well as the Visions Sud Est Fund.
Theeb is co-produced by Bayt Al Shawareb, which was founded by Jordanian Writer and Producer Bassel Ghandour, in association with Rupert Lloyd's Noor Pictures and Immortal Entertainment, with co-producers Nasser Kalaji and Laith Majali. Nadine Toukan is the executive producer of the film.

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.

Consisting of an international team, the film's crew includes Wolfgang Thaler, an award-winning Austrian Director of Photography. Meanwhile, the film's score is composed by British Composer Jerry Lane, the set was created by British Production Designer
Anna Lavelle, and Rupert Lloyd, also British, worked on the film's editing.

Theeb marks the first feature film and second directorial effort 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. In 2009, he wrote and directed his first short Death of a Boxer, 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.

Screening times of Theeb at Toronto International Film Festival, local time (GMT -5), at Scotiabank Theatres

Monday, September 8 - 07:15 PM
Wednesday, September 10 - 4:30 PM
Saturday, September 13 - 10:00 AM