You are here:

The Valley

Name: The Valley
Director: Ghassan Salhab
Released: 2014
Duration: 135 min

Representation Score

7.7/10

Good

2014

Director

Ghassan Salhab

Runtime

135 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film stands out for its cultural authenticity, offering a non-Western perspective that challenges traditional cinematic landscapes. Its setting in the Beqaa Valley serves as a crucial element that grounds the story in a specific Levantine context. However, the narrative is narrow in its social scope. It lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities and does not feature significant female characters to challenge gendered power dynamics. Ultimately, the work focuses on individual existence and psychological fragmentation rather than a broad exploration of diverse social identities.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Valley have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not depict any LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships. It maintains a neutral stance regarding sexual orientation.

How does The Valley portray gender?

Fair

The story centers around a male protagonist dealing with psychological trauma. It lacks strong female characters who drive the plot, limiting its ability to challenge traditional gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Valley?

Excellent

The film features authentic representation of a Levantine cast and a Middle Eastern setting, avoiding a Western-centric viewpoint.

How does The Valley represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative avoids traditional moralizing or religious ideals, focusing instead on subjective experiences and moral relativism within a context of socioeconomic stagnation.

Does The Valley include disability representation?

Fair

The protagonist suffers from amnesia, which is portrayed as a central cognitive condition. This provides a moderate level of representation for cognitive impairments.

Present on Screen

Provides high levels of authentic Levantine and Middle Eastern representation.
Avoids the Western gaze by centering a non-Western framework.
Uses cognitive impairment as a central driver of character development.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit depiction of LGBTQ+ identities or diverse relationship dynamics.
Features a limited presence of female characters to drive the narrative.
Does not actively engage with gender-challenging storylines.

Official Synopsis

After surviving a car crash in the middle of Lebanon's isolated Beqaa Valley, an amnesiac man finds himself held hostage on a local farm that doubles as an illegal drug-production facility.

How are these scores produced? →