The Arab
7.3
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.
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Cast
15 people
Ahmed Benaissa
Haroun
Known for
Close Enemies
Outside the Law
Hiam Abbass
Mother
Known for
Succession
Blade Runner 2049
Dali Benssalah
Haroun (young)
Known for
Athena
No Time to Die
Nabil Asli
Kamel
Also in
The Repentant
Harragas
Amina Ben Ismaïl
Known for
The Bunker Game
Another End
Grégoire Monsaingeon
Known for
Jeune Femme
Wild Seas
Mustapha Ayad
Also in
Serkadji
Si Mohand u M'hand, l'insoumis
Raphaël Thiéry
Known for
La Révolution
Scarlet
Brahim Derris
Moussa
Also in
Front Row
Algiers
Choumeyssa Nassah
Amar Guermoud
Known for
The King of Algiers
Inesse Guermoud
Malek Bensmaïl Director · Jacques Fieschi Screenplay Kamel Daoud Author
Director Screenplay
Malek Bensmaïl
Screenplay
Jacques Fieschi
Author
Kamel Daoud
Composer
Nicolas Rabaeus
Cinematographer
Gilles Porte
Cinematographer
Lionel Jan Kerguistel
Editor
Julia Grégory
Editor
Matthieu Bretaud
Production designer
Saad Ould Bachir
Production designer
Lamine Mohamed Amrani
Costume designer
Edith Vesperini
Costume designer
Lilia Lakhoua
Costume designer
Hadjira Tafat
First release January 31, 2026 · Produced in Algeria, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia · Languages Arabic, French, Spanish
Production
Hikayet Films
Production
Need Productions
Production
Tita Productions
Production
CADC
Production
Imagofilm Lugano
Production
RSI
Production
SRG SSR
Production
Red Sea Film Foundation
Production
Algeria · Belgium · France · Switzerland · Saudi Arabia
Produced in
Languages
Original title
العربي
Original language
Arabic
Spoken on screen
Arabic · French · Spanish
Release dates
Netherlands · January 31, 2026
Premiere · International Film Festival Rotterdam
France · November 4, 2026
Theatrical
No release date listed for United States.
Australia
June 4, 2026 · Premiere · Sydney Film Festival
Brazil
October 22, 2026 · Premiere · São Paulo International Film Festival
France
August 29, 2026 · Premiere · Angoulême Film Festival
Germany
October 21, 2026 · Premiere · Hof International Film Festival
Russia
April 17, 2026 · Premiere · Moscow International Film Festival
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