Forest Whitaker (Last King Of Scotland, Fast Times At Ridgemont High) has traded the air-conditioned set of the White House for his upcoming historical drama Lee Daniels’ The Butler (premiering August 16)  for the scorching desert of New Mexico, the location of his next film, Enemy Way.

Enemy Way is being directed by Oscar-nominated French-Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb (Outside The law, Dust Of Life, Days Of Glory), who has co-written the script with Yasmin Khadra and Olivier Lorelle. Whitaker plays William Garret, a Muslim  ex-con released into a small New Mexico border town. He struggles to rebuild his life after spending 18 years in prison, but the town sheriff, played by Harvey Keitel (The Piano, Taxi-Driver, The Fockers), isn’t having it. He launches a campaign to send Garret back to prison for life. It’s unclear so far exactly what impact, if any, the character’s faith with have on the plot, but it’s not hard to imagine the film playing off a number of hot-button social issues, including racial (and religious) profiling and latent cultural bigotry.

Harvey Keitel, Brenda Blethlyn, Luis Guzman and Ellen Burnstyn star with Forest Whitaker in Enemy Way

Oscar winning actress Ellen Burnstyn (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Any More) plays William Garret’s parole officer who supports him and his efforts to start a new life. Brenda Blethlyn (Atonement, Secrets And Lies) and Luis Guzman (The Last Stand, Boogie Nights) also star in the film.

Enemy Way is being produced by Tessalit Productions, Pathe International, Allen Bain, Rachid Bouchareb and Jean Brehat.

As of yet, no release date has been announced.