1 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released last year.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
I Was a Stranger
"Based on 14 million true stories."
2025 1h 43m AR
👍
6.7
SOLID
★6.7TMDB · 41
DramaThriller
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A Syrian doctor and her daughter flee Aleppo, setting off a chain of events that binds five strangers together. A smuggler, a soldier, a poet, and a coast guard captain collide in a crisis that tests their courage, their choices, and their humanity.
“Based on 14 million true stories.”
Cast
Yasmine Al Massri
Amira Homsi
Yahya Mahayni
Mustafa
Omar Sy
Marwan
Ziad Bakri
Fathi
Constantine Markoulakis
Stavros
Jason Beghe
Dr. Kroft
Ayman Samman
Shaheen
Massa Daoud
Rasha Homsi
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Brandt Andersen
- Writers
- Brandt Andersen
- Languages
- Arabic, English, Greek
- Countries
- Jordan, Turkey, Palestinian Territory, United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Arabic, English, Greek.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 4 countries: Jordan, Turkey, Palestinian Territory, United States of America.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Brandt Andersen, shot by Jonathan Sela. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Nick Chuba. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Yasmine Al Massri and Yahya Mahayni and Omar Sy carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Based on 14 million true stories.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt21272942 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Brandt Andersen directs. Jonathan Sela behind the camera. Nick Chuba scores. Produced in Jordan, Turkey, Palestinian Territory, United States of America. Dialogue in Arabic, English, Greek.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Released last year.
- 2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Arabic, English, Greek.
- 3International production across 4 countries: Jordan, Turkey, Palestinian Territory, United States of America.
- 4Directed by Brandt Andersen, shot by Jonathan Sela. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Nick Chuba. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Yasmine Al Massri and Yahya Mahayni and Omar Sy carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "Based on 14 million true stories.".
- 8IMDB entry: tt21272942 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Only 41 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Jonathan Sela
- Original score
- Nick Chuba
- Production design
- Julie Berghoff
- Costume design
- Hamada Atallah
- Makeup / hair
- Rawan Al-Refai
- Sound
- Kostas Varympopiotis
- Runtime
- 103 min · 1h 43m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- AR
- Certification (US)
- PG-13
Also by
Brandt Andersen
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Philistine Films
PS
- SP
SPACE + ART Entertainment
REEL Foundation
US
Karma Films
TR
Angel Studios
US
Key crew
- ProducerBrandt Andersen
- ProducerOssama Bawardi
- ProducerRyan Busse
- ProducerCharlie Endean
- Executive ProducerDina Prior
- Executive ProducerDuff Rich
- Line ProducerIbraheem Shaheen
- Executive ProducerTheresa Preston Warner
- CastingYounis Alharaki
- Production DesignJulie Berghoff
- Supervising Art DirectorRomolo Pompa
- Set DecorationIvan Janakat
- Set DecorationSami Zarour
- Costume DesignHamada Atallah
- Assistant Makeup ArtistRawan Al-Refai
- Makeup ArtistMohammad Rasheed
- Assistant Production ManagerYousef Khoury
- Unit Production ManagerOmer Ozkurt
- Third Assistant DirectorMahdi Abu-Salma
- Second Unit DirectorCharlie Endean
- Second Assistant DirectorMelissa Karam
- First Assistant DirectorToufic Khreich
- First Assistant DirectorNick Page
- Third Assistant DirectorMelike Toz
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- refugee
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical (limited)2025-12-31PG-13
- Theatrical2026-01-09PG-13
- Digital2026-02-12PG-13
- Digital2026-10-01PG-13· Paramount+ with Showtime
Also known as
International titles
- The Strangers' CaseUS
- The PassageFR
