How Lebanon’s banking crisis inspired a George Clooney-backed heist film
It’s not often a first-time feature filmmaker gets the backing of a Hollywood heavyweight such as George Clooney . But that’s exactly what has happened Lebanese director Rami Kodeih, 43, and his co-writer and wife, Nora Mariana, with their debut feature Furies . Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures, which he runs with producing partner Grant Heslov, came on board for the film, which was unveiled at this…
Hollywood actor George Clooney has backed a Lebanese heist film called Furies, directed by first-timer Rami Kodeih and his wife Nora Mariana. Clooney's production company Smokehouse Pictures invested in the movie, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 4. The couple's inspiration for the film stemmed from Lebanon's banking crisis in 2019, which led to Mariana needing surgery and being unable to use her bank savings.
The story follows sisters Maro and Dalia, who decide to rob a local bank to retrieve the money owed to them after Dalia requires life-saving surgery. The film stands out for its female-led crime narrative, which the filmmakers hope reflects their own family's resilience in the face of Lebanon's socio-political challenges. Despite its somber subject matter, Furies aims to capture the essence and soul of Lebanon through its street scenes and locations.
As for Mariana's financial situation, she reveals that the banks sold her grandfather's house to pay for her surgery, a decision she acknowledges would have differed if the characters were in control.
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