Hot Water
A Lebanese-born mother drives her troublesome son across the U.S. after he is expelled for fighting at school. Along the way, the bickering duo find common ground in this charming debut-feature dramedy from Ramzi Bashour.
Director Ramzi Bashour and Cinematographer Alfonso Herrera-Salcedo scheduled to attend.
Tickets
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Friday, May 8, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Saturday, May 9, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
The reliable, all-American cross-country road-trip genre gets a dash of Mediterranean spice in this debut feature from Syrian-American director Ramzi Bashour. Layal (Lubna Azabal) is a Lebanese-born professor at an Indiana college, trying hard to teach Arabic to mostly white Midwestern students (a rich vein of comedy that deserves its own film). Her world is upended when her troublesome son, Daniel (Daniel Zolghadri), gets involved in a violent hockey fight at his high school. At age 19 and already held back twice, Daniel is expelled one semester before graduation. With no other options available, Layal reluctantly agrees to drive Daniel 2,000 miles to his divorced father's home in California to finally finish his senior year. The resulting journey across the farmlands, roadside diners, and desert vistas leads to much bickering between the high-strung, frustrated Layal—who chose a terrible time to quit smoking—and her arch, wisecracking teen. Along the way, however, the quarreling duo bond through comedic encounters with a disagreeable hitchhiker and a weathered truck-driving hippie they meet in Colorado (played by indie legend Dale Dickey). Eventually, genuine mother-son warmth and acceptance develops as both are forever changed by their travels.
—Randy Woods
- Director: Ramzi Bashour
- Principal Cast: Lubna Azabal, Daniel Zolghadri, Dale Dickey
- Country: USA
- Year: 2026
- Running Time: 97 min.
- Producer: Jesse Hope, Max Walker-Silverman, Josh Peters
- Screenplay: Ramzi Bashour
- Cinematographers: Alfonso Herrera Salcedo
- Editors: Mollie Goldstein
- Music: Ramzi Bashour, James Elkington
- Filmography: Debut Feature Film
- Language: English, Arabic, French
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- US Distributor: Rich Spirit
- International Sales: Films Boutique / Cinetic