The Alleys
116'
Jordan
P&I Selection 2022
In the streets and alleys of Eastern Amman, relations between the locals are determined by rumours and violence. Hustler Ali and Lana, the daughter of a beauty salon owner, are passionately in love, but have to keep this hidden. When Lana’s mother, who disapproves of their relationship, falls victim to an unknown blackmailer who shows her a video of the young turtledoves, she turns for help to local gangster boss Abbas. This sets off a chain reaction of unforeseen, often shocking events involving several residents of the neighbourhood. And, has Ali made up his respectable foreign employer, or not?
Making his directorial debut, Bassel Ghandour translates his fascination for such close-knit communities into a story that could have come straight from the neighbourhood gossips. He chooses a hard-hitting, realistic style that gives free reign to the actors. The result is an effective combination of thriller and social drama, with room for a number of strong female characters who take control of their own lives.
P&I Selection 2022
Programme IFFR 2022
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Jordan
P&I Selection 2022
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80'
Netherlands
P&I Selection 2022
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195'
Indonesia
P&I Selection 2022