Israel’s official submission to the Oscars, the crime drama Ajami was shot over the course of seven months by young directors Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani and employs a cast of 120 non-professional actors.

A gritty tale of urban poverty and violence, the film centers on crime and drug-related tensions between Jews and Arabs in the impoverished Ajami neighborhood of the city of Jaffa.

Directed jointly by Yaron Shani, a Jewish Israeli, and Skander Copti, an Israeli Arab born and raised in Ajami, the film has so far picked up the Israeli Ophir and Wolgin prizes, and a special mention in Cannes. Ajami has stirred controversy due not only to its grim subject matter, but also to the frank portrayal of police brutality, the depiction of racial tensions and the unrestricted use of profanity.

The official Ajami trailer is below.