The Terminal

The movie was inspired by the story of Merhan Nasseri, an Iranian refugee. In 1988, he landed at Charles De Gaulle Airport near Paris, after being denied entry into England, because his passport and United Nations refugee certificate had been stolen. French authorities wouldn't let him leave the airport. He remained in Terminal One, a stateless person with nowhere else to go. He has since been granted permission to either enter France or return to Iran. He chooses to continue to live in the terminal and tell his story to those who will listen. Reportedly, his mental health has deteriorated over the years. When given the opportunity to live in France, he refused because the documents did not name him as "Sir Alfred", and he claims to have forgotten his native Persian. Reportedly, he left the terminal in August 2006 to be hospitalized for an unspecified illness. DreamWorks reportedly paid him $250,000 for the use of his biography.

The departure board indicates that Viktor's flight is bound for "Krakhosia," yet this board is supposed to show cities not countries. However, it's possible that the capital of fictitious Krakhosia is also named Krakhosia, just as the capitals of Mexico, Panama, Oklahoma and (formerly) Belize (whose capital is now relocated to Belmopan) share the country's/state's name, or that Krakhosia is a single-city nation like Singapore or San Marino. Either way, this is not necessarily a goof.

SPOILER: In the closing credits, the names of the production staff and prominent cast are the person's actual signature, rather than the standard block print used in the remainder of the credits. This follows with the secondary plot of Victor trying to get the last signature for the memory of his deceased father.

Featured in HBO First Look: Inside 'The Terminal' (2004)