George Basha – Writer, Co-Producer, “John”

George has come a long way since his days as an angst-ridden twenty something with arrests for theft and assault under his belt. One of six brothers, George spent much of his youth on the streets of Guildford and Parramatta and says he has seen just about everything. “Glassings, brawls, drugs deals, purchasing and selling weapons – you name it. From watching a guy get shot a couple of meters from where I was standing, to being in a building that was sprayed with bullets. I’ve seen it or it’s happened to one of my best mates,” he said.

By his mid twenties most of George’s friends were in serious trouble - it seemed that there were only two places they could end up – jail or dead. It was after George’s close friend was set alight for an unpaid debt to underworld figure that he decided it was time to clean up his act.

He enrolled in some acting classes and auditioned for a role in Blackrock, which George says was a real turning point in his life.

George was one of the only cast members from Blackrock that didn’t get cast for further roles. He soon discovered it was because men of “Middle Eastern appearance” weren’t popular choices for film and TV work. It was at that juncture that George decided Australia’s film landscape needed to change. “I didn’t really know much about the industry, all I knew was that I had this passion for acting and all this first hand experience with crime, racism and family struggles.  I wanted to tell a story about my people, the Lebanese in Australia. I had all these ideas brewing in my head and I just needed to find the right person to help me,” he said.

David Field sold a second hand car to a George’s friend, and George jumped at the chance to show David his script. I’m so glad Fieldsy came on board. He taught me everything I know. We are really good friends, he’s like my Aussie brother. He’s really down to earth and so easy to get along with, that’s why a lot of the younger, first time actors really got along with him because they trust him”, he said.

But it was a long and frustrating journey for George and David, who spent six years trying to find funding for the film. “You get promised the world and then let down. A lot of people waste your time. There were a few occasions where I thought that’s it I’ve had enough and wanted to throw the towel in but it was David and John’s enthusiasm that kept me going”, he said.

George believes the film was only made possible with the full support of his family and the local Lebanese community. “If they hadn’t gotten behind us, we couldn’t have done it. So many people stop me at the local shops and say ‘You’re that guy that made the film about Lebs. That’s awesome I can’t wait to see it’”, he said.