Miral (2010)

Director:

Julian Schnabel

Writers:

Rula Jebreal (scenario)
Rula Jebreal (novel)

Release Date:

3 September 2010 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Is this the face of a terrorist?

Plot:

A drama centered on an orphaned Palestinian girl growing up in the wake of Arab-Israeli war who finds herself drawn into the conflict. |

Plot Keywords:

Jerusalem Israel | Boyfriend Girlfriend Relationship | One Word Title | Reference To The Rolling Stones | Israeli Occupation

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Hiam Abbass	...	Hind Husseini
Asma Al Shiukhy	...	Woman Wrapping Body
Neemeh Khalil	...	Woman Wrapping Body
Jamil Khoury	...	Brother Amin (as Jameel Khoury)
Basel Husseini	...	Brother Khalid
Hanna Shammas	...	Husseini Brother
Ibrahim Husseini	...	Husseini Brother
Hazem Said	...	Husseini Brother
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Bertha Spafford
Willem Dafoe	...	Eddie
Makram Khoury	...	Governor Khatib
Wadeeka Khoury	...	Hind's Mother
Virginia Amsis	...	Young Girl at Christmas Party
Ansam Qupti	...	Other Girl at Christmas Party
Fadi Shahen	...	Musician at Christmas Party
Raed Said	...	Musician at Christmas Party
Jamal Said	...	Musician at Christmas Party
Mahmod Debh	...	Musician at Christmas Party
Huda Al Imam	...	Governor's Wife
Butros Copty	...	Older Guest
Jude Amous	...	Zeina
Abdallah El Akal	...	Deir Yassin Boy (as Abdallah El-Ackel)
Miral Hasna	...	Deir Yassin Girl
Murad Shaheen	...	Dair Yassin Crying Child
Fatma El-Akel	...	Deir Yassin Little Girl
Mahmud Abu-Jazi	...	Teacher Mustafa (as Mahmoud Abu Jazi)
Najwa Mubarki	...	Teacher Nawal
Amjad Barakat	...	Hotel Director
Juliano Mer-Khamis	...	Sheikh Saabah (as Juliano Merr Khamis)
Milad Matar	...	Advisor
Alexander Siddig	...	Jamal - Miral's father
Uri Avrahami	...	Israeli Adoption Officer
Yasmine Elmasri	...	Nadia (as Yasmine Al Massri)
Fatma Yahia	...	Young Tamam
Shmil Ben Ari	...	Stepfather
Salwa Nakkara	...	Nadia's Mother
Rami Heuberger	...	Belly Dance Club Customer
Dov Navon	...	Yossi
Liron Levo	...	Dan
Liat Ekta	...	Wife on Bus
Ruba Blal	...	Fatima
Tsofit Shpan	...	Woman Prisoner
Muaz Aljubeh	...	Jordanian Soldier
Adel Abou Raya	...	Hospital Official
Ana Akwai	...	Maher
Uri Klauzner	...	Ticket Man
Hai Maor	...	Soldier in Cinema
Pini Mittelman	...	Fatima's Judge
Sanaa Ali	...	Hawwa
Hind Halabi	...	Jamal's Mother
Saeed Gazzawi	...	Wedding Sheik
Ziad Bakri	...	Helmi
Yolanda El Karam	...	Young Miral
Samar Qawasmi	...	Little Leila
Sama Boullata	...	Little Hadil
Sama Abu-Khadir	...	Little Rania
Hala Kurd	...	Little Aziza
Raja'i Khateeb	...	Tourist Guide (as Rajaie Khateeb)
Freida Pinto	...	Miral
Rana Al Qawasmi	...	Leila
Frida Elraheb	...	Hadil
Muataz Welteadi	...	Boy at Refugee
Mohammad Welteadi	...	Rami - Kid at Class
Oz Zehavi	...	Soldier at Refugge Camp
Omar Metwally	...	Hani
Iman Aoun	...	Hani's Mother
Faten Khoury	...	School Secretary
Adnan Tarabshi	...	Hadil's Uncle
Rozeen Bisharat	...	Yasmin
Shredi Jabarin	...	Ali (as Shredy Jabarin)
Ashraf Farah	...	Ashraf
Hanin Halabi	...	Girl on Bus
Roy Gurai	...	Soldier on Bus
Doron Ben-David	...	Soldier on Bus
Zohar Shtrauss	...	Arresting Policeman
Uri Gavriel	...	Interrogating Officer
Ruth Cats	...	Torture Woman
Ami Weinberg	...	Miral's Judge
Yoav Levi	...	Miral's Prosecutor
Munther Fahmi	...	Miral's Lawyer
Rawda	...	Tamam
Doraid Liddawi	...	Samir
Stella Schnabel	...	Lisa
Sharon Alexander	...	Lisa's Father
Firas Abo Alnor	...	Soldier at Check Point
François Abou Salem	...	DNA Doctor (as Francois Abou Salem-Gasper)
Abed Zuabi	...	Man at Funeral (as Abed Zua'bi)
Amit Bar-am	...	Secret Police at Hotel
Ibrahim Firawi	...	Secret Police at Hotel
Vito Schnabel	...	Secret Police at Hotel
Lana Zreik	...	Sara
François-Xavier Decraene	...	French Client
Jawhara Baker	...	Samar Hilal
Anis Nacrour	...	Journalist at American Colony
Nina Burleigh	...	Journalist at American Colony
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Loai Nofi	...	Partier (uncredited)

Directed by
Julian Schnabel

Writing credits
Rula Jebreal		(scenario)
Rula Jebreal		(novel)

Produced by
François-Xavier Decraene	....	executive producer
François-Xavier Decraene	....	supervising line producer
Jon Kilik	....	producer
Tabrez Noorani	....	co-producer
Batan Silva	....	co-producer (as Sebastián Silva)

Cinematography by
Eric Gautier		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Juliette Welfling

Casting by
Yael Aviv

Production Design by
Yoel Herzberg

Art Direction by
Nir Alba

Costume Design by
Walid Mawed

Production Management
Virginia Anderson	....	post-production supervisor
Saar Datner	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ibtisam Ammouri	....	third assistant director
Ehab Bahous	....	third assistant director
Roy Ettinger	....	third assistant director
Maxim Konoplov	....	second assistant director
Enas I. Muthaffar	....	second assistant director
Batan Silva	....	first assistant director (as Sebastián Silva)
Joaquin Silva	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Eran Avidan	....	carpenter
Rotem Cohen	....	painter
Shron Eagle	....	painter (as Sharon Eagle)
Yair Greenberg	....	carpenter
Bashar Hasuneh	....	props
Rommi Kisilov	....	painter
Orin Linder	....	painter
Gabriela Marchevich	....	scenic artist
Ilan Nazarian	....	carpenter
Dudi Orion	....	carpenter
Noa Roshovsky	....	painter
Salim Shehade	....	art department assistant

Sound Department
Damien Bera	....	sound re-recording mixer
Romain Cadilhac	....	dialogue editor
Robert Fernandez	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dominique Gaborieau	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alexis Jung	....	sound editor
Benjamin Lécuyer	....	recorder
Asher Milo	....	sound mixer
Michel Monier	....	sound consultant: dolby
Simon Poupard	....	sound mix technician
Alon Shapira	....	boom operator
Adam Wolny	....	sound editor
Adam Wolny	....	supervising sound editor

Visual Effects by
Odile Beraud	....	visual effects coordinator
Alain Carsoux	....	visual effects director
Florian Chauvet	....	visual effects coordinator
Jean-Nicolas Costa	....	digital compositor
Séverine De Wever	....	visual effects producer
Stephane Dittoo	....	visual effects supervisor
Pacini Kevin	....	visual effects editor
Frank Petit	....	digital compositor
Joel Pinto	....	digital compositor
Elisa Pretta	....	digital compositor
Laurent Ripoll	....	visual effects editor
Christian Simon	....	digital compositor
Jeremy Séguin	....	digital compositor

Camera and Electrical Department
Nicolas Bordier	....	second assistant camera
Mathieu De Montgrand	....	first assistant camera
José Haro	....	photographer
Fabienne Octobre	....	focus puller
Adva Shoua	....	clapper loader
Gaby Weismann	....	focus puller

Casting Department
Iris Blumenstein	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Li Alembik	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Victoria Anderson	....	assistant editor
Serge Anthony	....	laboratory coordinator
Charles Fréville	....	colorist: dailies
Oded Grober	....	assistant editor
Trevor Joyce	....	digital cinema producer
Isabelle Julien	....	colorist
Margot Meynier	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Rebecca Delannet	....	music supervisor
Astrid Gomez-Montoya	....	music supervisor
Julian Schnabel	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Sharon Abella	....	publicist
Oded Aharon	....	production assistant
Ibtisam Ammouri	....	personal assistant to first assistant director
Georgina Asfour	....	script supervisor
Odile Beraud	....	visual effects assistant accounting coordinator
Laure Blaess	....	production accountant
Tony Copti	....	location manager
Rafi Grabovitzki	....	production assistant
Gianni Manno	....	titles and credits designer
Guy Raz	....	location manager
Richie Roefaro	....	technical assistant
Jérôme Seydoux	....	presents
Nimrod Slaby	....	production assistant
Mor Tentzer	....	production assistant
Maria Uzelac	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Oren Moverman	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Pathé
• Eran Riklis Productions (as ER Productions)
• Eagle Pictures (co-production)
• India Take One Productions (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• CinéCinéma (participation)

Distributors

• Pathé (2010) (France) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Worldwide Entertainment Group (WEG) (2010) (India) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Broadmedia Studios (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Euro Space (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2010) (Switzerland) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Prokino Filmverleih (2010) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2011) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Weinstein Company, The (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Europa Filmes (2010) (Brazil) (all media)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Melimedias (2011) (Belgium) (DVD)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2011) (Portugal) (all media)

Other Companies

• Oh! Editions  book publisher: French adaptation
• BoomGen Studios  publicity and marketing consulting
• Digital Media Services (DMS)  digital marketing asset management
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Mode HQ  post-production
• My Melody  music supervisor
• Studio Line  post-production facilities (as ADR Studios)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for some violent content including a sexual assault

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

France | Israel | Italy | India

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Ireland:15A | Germany:12 | USA:R (certificate #46689) | USA:PG-13 (re-rating) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #46689) | Sweden:11 | Singapore:NC-16 | Japan:PG12 | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Israel

Company:

Pathé

Quotes:

[first lines]
Miral:My name is Miral Hasna. I was Born in 1973. But my story really begins in 1947 with Hind Husseini.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #1.14" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Water

One of the most important reviews I have added to IMDb

Run, don't walk, to see this movie. If you miss it while it is in the theaters, put it in your Netflix queue. My wife and I see a lot of movies, independent and mainstream and this is one of the best.

Yesterday we saw a mainstream movie, Hanna, which was a major disappointment, except for the excellent acting of Saoirse Ronan. I gave it a 5 because the story was so terrible and I didn't have any emotional involvement concerning what happened to Hanna.

We generally don't go to two movies, two days in a row, but I was so disappointed in Hanna and have been interested in possibly seeing Miral since I heard Rula Jebreal on NPR's Tell Me More. She wrote the novel and the screenplay the movie was based on. I was surprised that she received such a chilly reception on the show, so I remembered to check out the movie online.

On METACRITIC, which contains reviews by major critics, there were 17 reviews; 3 positive, 12 mixed and 2 negative. Overall it was given a 45 out of 100 which means generally mixed reviews and near the low end of that scale. Keep in mind that Hanna got a 64 which means generally favorable reviews. I read a number of the critic's reviews of Miral as I often do before seeing a movie

I also read all of the six reviews available at that time on IMDb. There were only five usable as one was written by a person who, in my opinion, had an agenda and, based on his review, had not seen the movie.

Having consulted METACRITIC and IMDb, I was convinced that my wife and I might like this movie, but would probably not rate it above a 6 or 7 out of ten after we saw it. I always keep in mind that there are movies with overwhelming favorable reviews that I have hated, including The Diving Bell and The Butterfly which had the same director, Julian Schnabel, as this movie. Lost in Translation is also in that category.

My wife and I came to this movie without prejudice for one side or the other. We were just looking for a well made movie that would entertain us. We were so pleasantly surprised. The acting was excellent, the story involving, and we were quite tense in the last third of the movie. Unlike Hanna, we really cared what happen to Miral.

I agree with Spencergo, this movie should be seen by a wider audience, but I know it won't. The reason that this review is so important to me is most people will skip this movie because of the mixed reviews, and they shouldn't. Unfortunately, many independent films, like Rabbit Hole last year, get missed. I sincerely hope you give this movie a try if you can find it at your local independent theater.