How Ziad Jallad relates to the ‘universal’ themes of ‘Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous’ – Red Sea Studio

When Ziad Jallad first read the script Dirty, difficult, dangerousThe actor liked it very “relatable”, but also “very absurd and funny”.

Written and directed by Wissam Charaf, the film follows the story of Mehdia, an Ethiopian immigrant housekeeper in Beirut who falls in love with Ahmed (Jallad), a Syrian refugee who struggles to survive in the scrap metal trade while going through a mysterious physical condition is struck. to shrapnel exposure during the war.

Their love story seems to have no future, but since they have nothing, they have nothing to lose, and when the opportunity presents itself, they leave Beirut in a hopeful and desperate escape as Ahmed’s physical condition continues to deteriorate .

“I could relate to this story because I’m from this part of the world, and I can relate to the issues of refugees, how domestic workers are treated in all parts of the world,” Deadline’s Jallad told Red Sea Studio. “I think this film is universal because yes, it’s about the situation in Lebanon and about racism and how Syrian refugees and domestic workers are treated, no matter where they come from, whether it’s from Asia or Africa.”

Dirty, difficult, dangerous is presented in the main competition section of this week’s Red Sea International Film Festival.

The film shot some scenes in Lebanon and while there, the Lebanese-Egyptian actor recalls being “shocked” by the situation there, as the country is currently in crisis due to corruption and unsustainable fiscal policies.

“I haven’t been to Lebanon for a few years, but I was quite shocked by the situation there because of the bombings last year and the financial crisis,” he said. “Half the shops were closed, it was a bit like a ghost town, a lot of poverty on the streets. So I was sad to see the state of the country, but at the same time I was happy to be there to shoot in Lebanon and to be with Lebanese people and work together.