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The Arab

Nov 4, 2026 · 1h 46m
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Drama

PLOT

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

Ahmed Benaissa
Haroun
Hiam Abbass
Mother
Dali Benssalah
Haroun (young)
Nabil Asli
Kamel
Amina Ben Ismaïl
Grégoire Monsaingeon
Mustapha Ayad
Raphaël Thiéry
Directed by Malek Bensmaïl

DETAILS

Status
Released
Original language
AR
Budget
—
Revenue
—
Production
Hikayet Films, Need Productions, Tita Productions, CADC, Imagofilm Lugano, RSI, SRG SSR, Red Sea Film Foundation
Country
DZ, FR, CH
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