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, 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, 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, AMC Plus Apple TV 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, 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