Depictions of the Middle East and Africa have been around since the beginning of cinema history, while Arab filmmakers are finally beginning to gain global notoriety. Here are the best movies featuring the Arabic language to stream now.
200 Meters (2020)
7.5
A father stops at nothing to visit his injured son in this raw, thoughtful road drama
Four Daughters (2023)
7.2
A heartbreaking docudrama of a family torn by extremism
Chronicle of a Disappearance (1996)
8.4
Absurdist comedy makes for unusual but powerful framing in this wry commentary on Palestinian identity
The Time That Remains (2009)
7.8
Elia Suleiman remembers his family in this absurdist, slice-of-life comedy
The Man Who Sold His Skin (2020)
8.0
A Syrian man becomes artwork in this fascinating drama based on a true story
Soundtrack to a Coup d’État (2024)
7.4
This inspired documentary uses the language of jazz to uncover a forgotten part of Cold War history
Son of Babylon (2009)
7.3
A boy and his grandmother search for family in this raw, moving road drama
Wolf (2013)
7.2
An ex-con tries to shift his life with kickboxing in this raw, black and white crime drama
Incendies (2011)
9.9
Part melodrama, part war thriller, Incendies is gorgeous and heartbreaking from the first scene
All or Nothing (2002)
8.1
Mike Leigh goes all-in with this devastating drama
Code Unknown (2000)
7.4
An instance of littering unfolds Paris’ many social maladies in this thought-provoking hyperlink drama
Turtles Can Fly (2005)
8.0
A realistic and well-made Kurdish drama that’s absolutely devastating