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.
The Mauritanian (2021)
7.5
A straightforward legal drama depicting the eye-opening, brutal memoir
Death on the Nile (1978)
7.3
A star-studded riverside murder mystery classic
The Source (2011)
7.2
The women of a village wreaks chaos in this interesting, if a bit heavy handed, comedy drama
Chronicle of a Disappearance (1996)
8.4
Absurdist comedy makes for unusual but powerful framing in this wry commentary on Palestinian identity
The Man Who Sold His Skin (2020)
8.0
A Syrian man becomes artwork in this fascinating drama based on a true story
200 Meters (2020)
7.5
A father stops at nothing to visit his injured son in this raw, thoughtful road 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
Four Daughters (2023)
7.2
A heartbreaking docudrama of a family torn by extremism
Cameraperson (2016)
8.5
Singular, moving, and surprising—a must-see documentary that reflects on craft, memoir, and the quiet roles we play in our own lives and beyond
The Time That Remains (2009)
7.8
Elia Suleiman remembers his family in this absurdist, slice-of-life comedy
Mayor (2020)
8.0
A unique portrayal of the mayor of the de-facto capital of Palestine