Followed by iftar fast-breaking bites courtesy of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, DC. 

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Ali Kalthami’s debut feature is a darkly comedic thriller set in a surprising milieu: Saudi Arabia’s nocturnal underworld of gangsters, strugglers, and partiers. After Fahad Nassir (a riveting Mohammed Aldokhi) abruptly quits his call center day job in a rage, he struggles to make ends meet and raise money for his ailing father as a nighttime delivery driver (mandoob is Arabic for “courier”). After discovering a stash of illegal liquor, he hits upon a scheme to sell it to his upscale clients, but when the stash’s owners come after him, he finds himself in a fight for his life. This is a fascinating view of a Saudi Arabia rarely seen outside of the country. AGSI senior resident scholar Kristin Smith Diwan leads a post-film discussion before the sun sets and refreshments are served. (Dir.: Ali Kalthami, Saudi Arabia, 2023, 110 min., DCP, Arabic with English subtitles)