Black Gold

In 1930s Arabia, Emir Nesib of Hobeika raises Saleeh and Auda, the two sons of his rival Sultan Amar, as part of a peace agreement between their lands. Twelve years later, an American from Texas tells Nesib that oil lies beneath the Yellow Belt, the neutral territory neither ruler may claim. The discovery promises the emir enough wealth to build roads, schools and hospitals, but exploiting the land could destroy the fragile peace. Meanwhile, Saleeh longs to return to his father’s country, while Auda is more interested in books and knowledge.