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.
Turtles Can Fly (2005)
8.0
A realistic and well-made Kurdish drama that’s absolutely devastating
The Old Oak (2023)
7.9
Ken Loach’s farewell film is a heart-wrenching celebration of community
Chronicle of a Disappearance (1996)
8.4
Absurdist comedy makes for unusual but powerful framing in this wry commentary on Palestinian identity
Paris Je T’aime (2006)
7.6
An anthology ode to the City of Love stacked with talent behind and in front of the camera
Incendies (2011)
9.9
Part melodrama, part war thriller, Incendies is gorgeous and heartbreaking from the first scene
The Man Who Sold His Skin (2020)
8.0
A Syrian man becomes artwork in this fascinating drama based on a true story
Fallen Leaves (2023)
8.3
This delightfully deadpan romcom marks the comeback of beloved Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismäki
Farha (2021)
8.0
A brutal coming-of-age film set at the start of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Swimmers (2022)
8.0
Equal parts sweet and searing, this weighty refugee drama is buoyed by tender moments of sisterhood and solidarity
Leo (2023)
7.1
A modest animated offering that's better at being an absurd comedy than a musical
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
NAGA (2023)
7.2
An irreverent, dizzying teen thriller debut on the sands of Saudi Arabia