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The Strangers’ Case

Berlinale Special Gala 2024
© Philistine Films
Over four centuries ago, William Shakespeare collaborated with others on a play about the historical figure Sir Thomas More. In it, he wrote a speech in which More passionately articulates a defence of refugees, culminating in a poignant reference to their plight. Fast-forward to the present: Aleppo, in the midst of the Syrian civil war. Amira, a paediatric surgeon, performs a life-saving operation during the darkest days of the conflict. Through an unexpected twist of fate, she and her daughter become central characters in a dangerous tale that intricately interweaves the lives of five families spanning four continents and redefines all of their existences. Versions of this story continue to repeat themselves over the centuries. For this reason, Shakespeare aptly named this plight “The Strangers’ Case”.
by Brandt Andersen
with Yasmine Al Massri, Yahya Mahayni, Omar Sy, Ziad Bakri, Constantine Markoulakis, Jason Beghe, Ayman Samman, Massa Daoud Jordan 2024 Arabic, English, Greek 97’ World premiere | Debut film

With

  • Yasmine Al Massri (Amira)
  • Yahya Mahayni (Mustafa)
  • Omar Sy (Marwan)
  • Ziad Bakri (Fathi)
  • Constantine Markoulakis (Stavros)
  • Jason Beghe (Dr. Kroft)
  • Ayman Samman (Shaheen)
  • Massa Daoud (Rasha)

Crew

Director Brandt Andersen
Screenplay Brandt Andersen
Cinematography Jonathan Sela
Editing Jeff Seibeneck
Music Nick Chuba
Sound Design Aris Louziotis
Sound Rawad Hobeika
Production Design Julie Berghoff
Costumes Hamada Atallah
Make-Up Farah Jadaan
Casting Mona Shehabi
Producers Brandt Andersen, Ossama Bawardi, Ryan Busse, Charlie Endean
Executive Producers Theresa Preston-Werner, Dina Prior, Duff Rich, Chad Stahelski, Louise Rosner

World sales

Mister Smith Entertainment

Produced by

Philistine Films

https://www.philistinefilms.com/ https://www.philistinefilms.com/

Photos

Press Conference

Red Carpet

Brandt Andersen

The activist and artist has already produced over 30 films. His directorial debut Refugee was short-listed for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short in the 2020 Academy Awards. In 2019, he visited and filmed in hospitals outside Aleppo in Syria with CanDo. He has also organised film camps for refugees in Jordan and Turkey on behalf of CARE and has visited and filmed conditions in refugee camps in Jordan, Greece, Italy and Turkey with the UNHCR. In November 2023, he joined the Jordanian Airforce on humanitarian aid drops over Gaza.

Filmography

2020 Refugee; short film 2024 The Strangers’ Case

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2024