Films from the Arab World
In recognition of Arab American Heritage Month, Telescope presents a selection of some of our favorite recent films from the Arab world.
Capernaum
(کفرناحوم)
Zain, a hardened 12-year-old boy struggling to survive on the streets of Beirut, sues his parents for his conception.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Lebanon, United States, France • 2018
- Director Nadine Labaki
- Cast Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Nadine Labaki, Kawthar Al Haddad, Fadi Kamel Youssef
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Of Fathers and Sons
(Die Kinder des Kalifats)
A rare glimpse into the life of a radicalist family, at the point where childhood dies and jihadism is born.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Germany, United States, Syria • 2017
- Director Talal Derki
- Cast Abu Osama
- Genre Documentary, War
- Available on Kino Film Collection, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
The Insult
(L'Insulte)
One day, Tony gets into a heated exchange with a Palestinian refugee, which ends in a lawsuit.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Cyprus, Belgium • 2017
- Director Ziad Doueiri
- Cast Adel Karam, Kamel El Basha, Rita Hayek, Christine Choueiri, Diamand Bou Abboud, Camille Salameh
- Genre Crime, Drama
- Available on Cohen Media Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, Kanopy
Theeb
A young Bedouin boy is forced through a greatly hastened coming-of-age as he embarks on a perilous desert journey.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan • 2014
- Director Naji Abu Nowar
- Cast Jacir Eid, Hassan Mutlag, Hussein Salameh, Marji Audeh, Jack Fox
- Genre Adventure, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Film Movement Plus, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, FlixFling, Kanopy, Hoopla
Omar
(عمر)
A Palestinian freedom fighter is captured and forced to work as a double agent for the Israeli authorities.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Palestine • 2013
- Director Hany Abu-Assad
- Cast Adam Bakri, Waleed Zuaiter, Leem Lubany, Samer Bisharat, Iyad Hoorani, Mousa Habiib Allah
- Genre Drama, Romance, Thriller
- Available on Chai Flicks, Apple TV, Tubi TV, Kanopy
Wadjda
(وجدة)
After a fight with a neighborhood boy, Wadjda attempts to raise money for a bicycle to beat him in a race.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Germany • 2012
- Director Haifaa Al-Mansour
- Cast Reem Abdullah, Waad Mohammed, Abdullrahman Algohani, Ahd, Sultan Al Assaf, Dana Abdullilah
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Where Do We Go Now?
(Et maintenant on va où ?)
The women of a Middle Eastern village must quell rising tensions between their Christian and Muslim men.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Lebanon, Egypt • 2011
- Director Nadine Labaki
- Cast Claude Msawbaa, Leyla Hakim, Nadine Labaki, Yvonne Maalouf, Antoinette Noufaily, Julian Farhat
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Son of Babylon
(Syn Babilonu)
A boy and his grandmother travel across Iraq in search of the boy’s missing father, a stranger to him.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iraq, United Kingdom, France • 2009
- Director Mohamed Al Daradji
- Cast Shazada Hussein, Yasser Talib, Bashir Al Majid
- Genre Drama, Road Movie
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube
The Time That Remains
(الزمن الباقي)
A semi-biographical film about the lives of the Palestinians who remained during the creation of the state of Israel from 1948 to present day.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium • 2009
- Director Elia Suleiman
- Cast Saleh Bakri, Elia Suleiman, Amer Hlehel, Ali Suliman, Menashe Noy, Ayman Espanioli
- Genre Drama, History
- Available on AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube
Caramel
(سكر بنات)
The intersecting lives of five Lebanese women in a Beirut beauty salon.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Lebanon • 2007
- Director Nadine Labaki
- Cast Nadine Labaki, Yasmine Al Massri, Joanna Moukarzel, Gisèle Aouad, Adel Karam, Sihame Haddad
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Paradise Now
Two Palestinian men attempt to carry out a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Palestine, France, Germany • 2005
- Director Hany Abu-Assad
- Cast Ali Suliman, Amer Hlehel, Hiam Abbass, Ashraf Barhom, Mohammad Bustami
- Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, VUDU Free, Plex, Plex Channel
Divine Intervention
(يد إلهية)
Separated by a checkpoint, Palestinian lovers from Jerusalem and Ramallah arrange clandestine meetings.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Morocco, Germany • 2002
- Director Elia Suleiman
- Cast Elia Suleiman, Manal Khader, George Ibrahim, Amer Daher, Jamel Daher, Lufuf Nuweiser
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Chai Flicks, Kanopy