Gangsta

"Ain't nothing but a 'G' thang"

2018 2h 5m NL

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 110

ThrillerActionCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Antwerp, Belgium. The lives of four small-time drug dealers spin out of control when they steal a shipment of cocaine, triggering a full out war between an Amsterdam drug lord and a ruthless Colombian cartel.

“Ain't nothing but a 'G' thang”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Matteo Simoni
Adamo
Nora Gharib
Badia
Saïd Boumazoughe
Volt
Junes Lazaar
Junes
Nabil Mallat
Yasser
Paloma Aguilera Valdebenito
El Toro
Gene Bervoets
Onderzoeksrechter
Axel Daeseleire
Stijn

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Adil El Arbi
Writers: Bilall Fallah, Nabil Ben Yadir, Hendrik Verthé
Languages: English, Dutch, Spanish
Countries: Belgium, Netherlands

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 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 8 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Dutch, Spanish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Belgium, Netherlands.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Patser Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Adil El Arbi, shot by Robrecht Heyvaert. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Hannes de Maeyer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Thijs van Nuffel shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Matteo Simoni and Nora Gharib and Saïd Boumazoughe carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Adil El Arbi directs. Robrecht Heyvaert behind the camera. Hannes de Maeyer scores. Thijs van Nuffel cuts. Produced in Belgium, Netherlands. Dialogue in English, Dutch, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 8 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Dutch, Spanish.
3International production across 2 countries: Belgium, Netherlands.
4Part of the "Patser Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Adil El Arbi, shot by Robrecht Heyvaert. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Hannes de Maeyer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Thijs van Nuffel shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Matteo Simoni and Nora Gharib and Saïd Boumazoughe carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Ain't nothing but a 'G' thang".
10IMDB entry: tt6438030 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 8 themes, including "drug dealer", "drug smuggling", "antwerp", "amsterdam, netherlands".

The technical file

Cinematography: Robrecht Heyvaert
Original score: Hannes de Maeyer
Editing: Thijs van Nuffel
Production design: Stijn Verhoeven
Costume design: Nina Caspari
Sound: Regard Ibrahim
Runtime: 125 min · 2h 5m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: NL
Certification (US): 16
IMDB: Gangsta (2018)

Part of

Patser Collection

Explore the gritty streets of Antwerp's underworld with this collection. Gangsta (2018) plunges into the chaotic fallout of a drug heist, while Patsers (2025) revisits the lives entangled in the city's crime scene as characters grapple with loyalty and the struggle for freedom. From directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, these films offer a linked perspective on the consequences of life in the fast lane.

Also by

Adil El Arbi

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

moovies2018-11-23
★ 6/10
"Style over substance" 'Gangsta' tells the tale of four friends who are out to make a quick buck. What better way than to deal coke in Antwerp, Belgium, the so-called coke capital of Europe. In doing so the four dealers trigger a war between them, two Amsterdam drug lords and a Colombian cartel. Adamo (Matteo Simoni), the main character and his three buddies look and behave like gangsters but are far from it. To them their new way of making fast money is a fantasy and that's what directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah want to make you feel. They glorify the whole gangster life and it shines through in the distinctive look of the film. It's a different take on the classic gangster movies but that doesn't mean it's better. While 'Scarface' is being referenced a couple of times the movie has more in common with Michael Bay's 'Pain & Gain'. It all looks and sounds flashy but there's little underneath that shiny surface. The plot is rather simple and the characters are flat and sometimes downright annoying. The directors pull all sorts of tricks (visual and with the narrative) to blow you away but eventually it's overkill. El Arbi and Fallah have shown with their two previous movies ('Image' and 'Black') that they're capable of making dark gritty movies. I get that they want to show that they have more up their sleeve (the duo wants to break through in the US) but sometimes less is more. Take away half an hour of the runtime and it would have been easier to digest. Although all the blitz and glam can't hide the shortcomings of the movie it's still quite a fun ride. I can see it doing well among youngsters. Kudos to Matteo Simoni who really shines as Adamo. Simoni who is known more for his comedy parts in Belgium is quite impressive. Debuting Nora Gharib is a gem and Dutch rapper Ali B is a great addition as the twisted Hassan Kamikaze.

Production companies