Hamzah Jamjoom’s Eco-Thriller ‘Running Dry’ to Star Baraa Alem, Waleed Zuaiter, Houshang Touzie, Naif Aldaferi (EXCLUSIVE)

Hamzah Jamjoom’s eco-thriller “Running Dry,” which will start principal photography on Dec. 26, has revealed its leading cast members.

The film will star Baraa Alem (“The Book of Sun,” “HWJN,” “Route 10”), Waleed Zuaiter (“Gangs of London,” “Baghdad Central,” “Omar”), Houshang Touzie (“Homeland,” “Argo,” “Madame Secretary”), Naif Aldaferi (“Rashash,” ” HWJN”) and Ali Fardi (“7-OD,” “Only Death Never Lies,” “Marokkaanse Bruiloft”).

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Jamjoom’s credits include “Rupture,” winner of the Best Saudi Film Award at the Red Sea Film Festival in 2021, and “How I Got There,” the Best Saudi Film Award winner at last year’s Red Sea Film Festival.

It is based on a script by Gregory Collins (“Before Anyone Else,” “A Song Still Inside”) and Jamjoom, from a story by Waleed Al Sanad and is produced by Abubakar Khan (“Mustache,” “Queen of Bones”).

Inspired by real events, “Running Dry” follows the story of a poor mechanic from rural Saudi Arabia who is lured overseas only to be held captive by a sadistic drug lord.

Jamjoom said: “This film is really about overcoming forces that use and manipulate resources in order to divide people and consolidate power. In that sense, the film speaks directly to what is happening in the [Middle East] region and in the world more generally. In times of struggle, borders and divisions fall away, and our shared humanity is revealed.”

Collins is the writer and producer of “Before Anyone Else,” from Japanese auteur Tetsuya Mariko, and “Chasing the Panther,” the memoir of film pioneer Carolyn Pfeiffer.

Franklin Mark Henson has been brought on as stunt coordinator. He was a stunt coordinator for “Cocaine Bear,” “The Witcher,” “Vikings,” “Children of Men” and “Gravity.”

AZ Celtic Films (Guy Ritchie’s “Operation Fortune,” “Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” “The Swimmers,” “Argo,” “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) is handling all aspects of local production in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

“Running Dry” is supported by Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Development Fund and has been selected for the Saudi Film Commision’s DAW Fund.

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