The Arab
العربي
Synopsis
Haroun is an old bachelor who has lived in Oran for several years. A retired civil servant, he leads a reclusive life until the day he meets Kamel in a bar—a journalist to whom he tells an incredible story dating back to 1942. He claims to be the brother of ‘the Arab’ killed in a story told in one of the most famous novels of the 20th century, ‘The Stranger’ by Albert Camus. An Arab with an erased name: Moussa. Through anger, assertions, details, and confidences, Haroun finally convinces the journalist to listen to his story. His confession is a cry of freedom and distress—but above all, a cry of revolt: against an abusive mother, against a country that failed to achieve true independence, against a book, and against a famous French writer.
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
Sydney Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Malek Bensmaïl
- Screenplay & Story
- Malek Bensmaïl, Jacques Fieschi
- Original Score
- Nicolas Rabaeus
- Original Title
- العربي
- Country of Origin
- Algeria, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia
- Spoken Languages
- Arabic, Spanish, French
- Runtime
- 1h 46m
- Production Studios
- Hikayet Films, Need Productions, Tita Productions, CADC, Imagofilm Lugano, RSI, SRG SSR, Red Sea Film Foundation
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Malek Bensmaïl
Malek Bensmaïl, Jacques Fieschi, Kamel Daoud
Nicolas Rabaeus
Gilles Porte, Lionel Jan Kerguistel
Matthieu Bretaud, Julia Grégory
Hachemi Zertal, Fred Premel
Department Leadership Roster
Malek Bensmaïl
Screenplay
Malek Bensmaïl
Director
Jacques Fieschi
Screenplay
Hachemi Zertal
Producer
Gilles Porte
Director of Photography
Fred Premel
Producer
Matthieu Bretaud
Editor
Julia Grégory
Editor
Lionel Jan Kerguistel
Director of Photography
Nicolas Rabaeus
Original Music Composer
Edith Vesperini
Costume Design
Lilia Lakhoua
Costume Design
Hadjira Tafat
Costume Design
Saad Ould Bachir
Production Design
Lamine Mohamed Amrani
Production Design
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Arab.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Arab
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Arab about?
Haroun is an old bachelor who has lived in Oran for several years. A retired civil servant, he leads a reclusive life until the day he meets Kamel in a bar—a journalist to whom he tells an incredible story dating back to 1942. He claims to be the brother of ‘the Arab’ killed in a story told in one of the most famous novels of the 20th century, ‘The Stranger’ by Albert Camus. An Arab with an erased name: Moussa. Through anger, assertions, details, and confidences, Haroun finally convinces the journalist to listen to his story. His confession is a cry of freedom and distress—but above all, a cry of revolt: against an abusive mother, against a country that failed to achieve true independence, against a book, and against a famous French writer.
Who directed The Arab?
The Arab was directed by Malek Bensmaïl.
Who stars in The Arab?
The principal cast of The Arab includes Ahmed Benaissa, Hiam Abbass, Dali Benssalah, Nabil Asli, Amina Ben Ismaïl.
When was The Arab released and how long is it?
The Arab was released in 2026 with a total runtime of 1h 46m.
Who composed the musical score for The Arab?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Arab was composed by Nicolas Rabaeus.