Rakeen Saad’s Jordanian Thriller "Boomah" Rounds Out Cast as Production Begins

Production has begun on Jordanian director and producer Zaid Abu Hamdan’s second feature “Boomah” (“The Owl”).

"Boomah" will be Abu Hamdan’s second feature after his critically acclaimed "Daughters of Abdul-Rahman", which world premiered at the Cairo Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, and then played multiple festivals including the Red Sea Film Festival.

Previously announced in December, Rakeen Saad is set to play the titular role of the female thug Boomah. Saad rose to acclaim for her roles in hit shows “The Giza Killer” and the Netflix original “Al Rawabi School for Girls,” and up next she will be seen as the lead in a new Netflix series production “Echoes of the Past” and “The Way of the Wind,” the biblical drama by Terrence Malick.

“Boomah” — now shooting in Jordan — reunites Saad with Rawabi co-star Joanna Arida who will play the role of her best friend and confidant Anoud.

Arida will next appear in “Laura H,” a Dutch TV series based on the bestseller by journalist Thomas Rueb. Rounding out the cast are Majd Eid (Ali Abbasi’s “Holy Spider” and Adil & Bilall’s “Rebel”), Nabil Al Raee (“200 Meters,” “The Idol” and Farah Nabulsi’s “The Teacher”) and Hanan Al Hilo (“Daughters of Abdul Rahman”).

Originally announced under the title "The Zarqa Girl" at the project stage, “Boomah” is a described as crime thriller in the vein of Italian mob drama Gomorrah set against the backdrop of one of Jordan’s toughest cities.

“Boomah” follows a notorious and knife-savvy female gang member who becomes embroiled in a power struggle between street thugs and religious extremists while battling the traumas of her harrowing orphaned past.

The film is produced by Front Row Productions and Bounce Productions. Front Row’s work includes Netflix originals “Perfect Strangers”, “The Sandcastle” starring Nadine Labaki and Ziad Bakri, and the upcoming “Cliffhanger” reboot.

Bounce Productions is based in Jordan and headed by Ahmad Abu Koush and director Abu Hamdan. "Boomah" marks the first feature production for Bounce and is eyeing an early 2025 release.

Also on board is Bayt Al Shawareb known for their work on the 2014 Oscar-nominated film “Theeb” and the 2023 Cannes feature “Inshallah a Boy”.

Co-producers on the film are Maia Malas, Carine Chaiban, Elie Touma, Nicolas Torloting, Sari Silawi, and Dalia Al-Nimr.

Abu Hamdan previously shared a few more details on the film. “Boomah delves into themes of love, loss and friendship but most of all, motherhood,” he said. “I am eager to make Boomah a reality and share deeply human and wild stories with the incredible audience again."