Yellow Asphalt

Three stories set among the Bedouin of Jahalin in the hills of the Judean desert. On an almost deserted highway, two Israeli truckers strike a Bedouin lad accidentally. Before they can flee, the boy's people appear and circle the truckers. Retribution? In a tent, elders judge a woman seeking divorce; she wants to leave with her young daughters. They deny the suit. That night she gathers her girls and runs. Her husband pursues her. The Bedouin maid of a married Israeli hot-house farmer is discovered in adultery; with her life in danger, she seeks protection from her lover. He turns her away and involves a Bedouin farmhand in disposing of her. What tribal justice awaits?

Directed by Dan Verete, Yellow Asphalt leans on a strong ensemble — Moshe Ivgy, Raida Adon, Tatjana Blacher — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2001.