Airdate: The Combination

In 2009 a young Firass Dirani filmed The Combination, a volatile film about a young Lebanese Australian, at odds with his family and many of his school mates.

It’s probably the role that won him the lead in 2010’s Underbelly: The Golden Mile.

Footage of Cronulla Riots on TV screens are included in this movie, and may well have been the inspiration for the project.

Dirani will also appear in ABC1’s upcoming miniseries The Straits.

In a western suburb of Sydney, John Morkos (George Basha), a 25-year-old Lebanese Australian, walks free after two years in prison, determined to go straight.

John’s mother (Doris Younane) and grandmother welcome his return to the family home where he adopts the role of head of the household: his 17-year-old brother Charlie (Firass Dirani), is not pleased to see him and ignores his ‘ex-con’ brother’s seemingly hypocritical advice. In the thrall of gang leader Zeus (Ali Haidar), Charlie’s life oscillates between school-yardpunch-ups and the criminal antics of the gang.

Meanwhile, John meets Sydney (Clare Bowen), a local Aussie girl, and there is an instant attraction. They fall in love.

Wes (Tony Ryan), the Aboriginal owner of a boxing gym, employs John as a cleaner. Wes develops a soft spot for John, and when he discovers John’s natural boxing talent he encourages him to go a few rounds with the gym’s contender. After refusing, John gives in and demolishes the other boxer.

Sydney’s parents racial preconceptions of John push their relationship to the limit, and after a brutal, yet honest argument, and although very much in love, they part ways.

Meanwhile, Charlie’s continuing descent into the world of crime places his whole family in harm’s way, forcing John to risk his new life to right his younger brother’s wrong.

9:35pm Thursday, 26 January ABC1.