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"title": "Omar (عمر) (2013 film)",
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"excerpt": "Omar (عمر) is a 2013 Palestinian drama-thriller by Hany Abu-Assad about a West Bank baker pressured to inform after a soldier's killing; Cannes Un Certain Regard Jury Prize winner and Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film.",
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"markdown": "# Omar (عمر) (2013 film)\n\n**Omar** (عمر) is a 2013 Palestinian drama-thriller directed and written by Hany Abu-Assad, in which a young [West Bank](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-bank) baker is arrested after a deadly act of resistance and pressured by Israeli intelligence to betray his childhood friends.[1](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/omar/) • [2](https://mad-distribution.film/movies/movie111547.php) It premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury's Prize, and it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.[1](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/omar/) • [3](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/omar-2013) It was Abu-Assad's first Palestinian feature since *Paradise Now* (2005).[3](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/omar-2013)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Director and writer | Hany Abu-Assad (director, screenplay, producer)[1](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/omar/) |\n| Production | Palestine, 2013; 97 minutes; Arabic and Hebrew dialogue[1](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/omar/) • [4](https://elcinema.com/work/2026448) |\n| Main cast | Adam Bakri (Omar), Leem Lubany (Nadia), Waleed Zuaiter (Rami), Eyad Hourani (Tarek), Samer Bisharat (Amjad)[5](https://elcinema.com/work/2026448/cast) |\n| Cannes | Un Certain Regard, 2013; Jury's Prize[1](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/omar/) |\n| Oscar | Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2014 Academy Awards[3](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/omar-2013) • [6](https://mubi.com/en/gb/films/omar) |\n| Financing | The first feature produced entirely with Palestinian money; about 95% of its $1.5 million budget came from donations by Palestinian individuals and businessmen, with support from the Enjaaz program of the Dubai Film Market[7](https://www.hiamag.com/%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%85%D8%A7/164841-%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%85-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%A9-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%84) • [8](https://www.youm7.com/story/2013/5/20/Omar-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%B1%D8%AC-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%89-%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%89-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88-%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%82%D9%89-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF/1074946) |\n| Key crew | Cinematography Ehab Assal; editing Martin Brinkler and Eyas Salman[2](https://mad-distribution.film/movies/movie111547.php) • [5](https://elcinema.com/work/2026448/cast) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nOmar (Adam Bakri) is a baker in occupied Palestine who is accustomed to dodging surveillance bullets as he climbs the separation wall with a rope to visit Nadia ([Leem Lubany](https://www.edgepedia.org/leem-lubany)), his secret love, who lives on the other side.[1](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/omar/) In his free time he trains with his two childhood friends, Tarek (Eyad Hourani), Nadia's militant brother, and Amjad (Samer Bisharat), for an operation against Israeli soldiers.[3](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/omar-2013) • [9](https://www.indailysa.com.au/inreview/archive/2013/10/14/omar-makes-a-powerful-statement)\n\nThe three plan to shoot an Israeli soldier; Amjad pulls the trigger, but Omar is the one who is caught and interrogated under harsh conditions.[9](https://www.indailysa.com.au/inreview/archive/2013/10/14/omar-makes-a-powerful-statement) After the arrest he falls into a cat-and-mouse game with the military police: he is offered release on condition that he help capture the soldier's killer, and suspicion and betrayal begin to jeopardize his trust in his accomplices and in Nadia's brother.[1](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/omar/) • [2](https://mad-distribution.film/movies/movie111547.php) The Israeli agent Rami, played by [Waleed Zuaiter](https://www.edgepedia.org/waleed-zuaiter), is the interrogator who works on him.[5](https://elcinema.com/work/2026448/cast) • [10](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/omar/critic-reviews/) Abu-Assad said the story draws on Shakespeare's *Othello*, because Othello's problem was his feeling of insecurity: when a person suffers oppression and feels insecure, he cannot make rational decisions.[11](https://awraq.yaf.ps/file/attachs/2734.pdf)\n\n## Production and financing\n\nThe film was shot on the West Bank, moving through alleys and over rooftops, with the concrete separation wall as a constant presence.[9](https://www.indailysa.com.au/inreview/archive/2013/10/14/omar-makes-a-powerful-statement) It was produced by ZBros, in association with the Dubai Entertainment and Media Organization's Enjaaz initiative, with Waleed Zuaiter and David Gerson as producers alongside Abu-Assad.[2](https://mad-distribution.film/movies/movie111547.php)\n\n**Palestinian funding.** Arabic-language press coverage emphasized that *Omar* was the first feature film produced entirely with Palestinian money, through the Zuaiter brothers' company with help from the Enjaaz program for projects in progress.[8](https://www.youm7.com/story/2013/5/20/Omar-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%B1%D8%AC-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%89-%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%89-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88-%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%82%D9%89-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF/1074946) One report put the budget at $1.5 million, with about 95% of the production cost covered by donations from Palestinian individuals and businessmen, plus special support from Enjaaz.[7](https://www.hiamag.com/%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%85%D8%A7/164841-%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%85-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%A9-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%84) Most of the cast were first-time actors, which critics credited with bringing realism to the story.[3](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/omar-2013) • [10](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/omar/critic-reviews/)\n\n## Release and reception\n\nThe film screened at Cannes on 21 May 2013 in Un Certain Regard and received a ten-minute standing ovation.[4](https://elcinema.com/work/2026448) • [8](https://www.youm7.com/story/2013/5/20/Omar-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%B1%D8%AC-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%89-%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%89-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88-%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%82%D9%89-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF/1074946) Abu-Assad chose Ramallah for the Palestinian premiere in September 2013, and the film opened in France on 16 October 2013 through Clearvision Distribution.[12](https://tunisien.tn/%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85/%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AA%D8%B6%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%B6-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%8A-%D9%84%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%85-%D8%B9) • [13](https://www.offi.fr/cinema/evenement/omar-49984.html) Later releases included Lebanon (22 January 2015), Egypt (20 May 2015), and Kuwait (4 June 2015).[4](https://elcinema.com/work/2026448)\n\nCritics received it favorably: Metacritic recorded a Metascore of 75, with 23 positive reviews, 5 mixed, and none negative.[10](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/omar/critic-reviews/) Sheila O'Malley, a member of the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics, wrote in her RogerEbert.com review that the wall functions both as Omar's training ground and as a symbol of the way it separates [Palestinians](https://www.edgepedia.org/palestinians) from Israelis and from one another, making love, loyalty, and intimacy difficult.[3](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/omar-2013) The film's treatment of collaborators, young men pressured or compelled to work for the occupation, was noted in Arabic-language coverage as a subject rarely addressed with such frankness.[4](https://elcinema.com/work/2026448)\n\n## Awards\n\nAt the tenth Dubai International Film Festival in December 2013, *Omar* won the Muhr Arab award for Best Feature Film, Abu-Assad won Best Director, and the film also took Best Screenplay and Best Actor in the Muhr Arab feature competition.[14](https://media.al-akhbar.com/PDF_Files/2177/alakhbar20131216.pdf) Its other honors included the Silver Frog for Best Cinematography at Camerimage in Poland, Best Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, the Founders Prize for Best Drama at the Traverse City Film Festival, and the NETPAC Award for Best Director from the Asian Film Critics Association.[2](https://mad-distribution.film/movies/movie111547.php) In 2014 it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and won the Norwegian Peace Film Award.[6](https://mubi.com/en/gb/films/omar) • [15](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2852406/awards/)\n\n## Context in Palestinian cinema\n\n*Omar* belongs to the cycle of Abu-Assad's features on Palestinian subjects, following *Paradise Now*, which won the 2006 Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and was also Oscar-nominated.[3](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/omar-2013) • [8](https://www.youm7.com/story/2013/5/20/Omar-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%B1%D8%AC-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%89-%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%89-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88-%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%82%D9%89-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF/1074946) TIME placed it among a group of acclaimed films about Israel's Palestinian informants, noting that it unfolds from the vantage of a young Palestinian arrested after helping to kill an Israeli soldier and pressured mercilessly to turn informer.[16](https://time.com/40757/israel-omar-bethlehem-movies/) The film also drew new people into filmmaking: Amira Diab, then a financial investment professional in Manhattan, has said that watching *Omar* led her to study film production in Los Angeles and later work with Abu-Assad, whom she married, as a producer.[17](https://apnews.com/article/9e50ea3f0e664fe0b945e35354040fe4)\n\n## References\n\n1. [OMAR, Festival de Cannes](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/omar/)\n2. [Omar, MAD Distribution Films](https://mad-distribution.film/movies/movie111547.php)\n3. [Omar movie review & film summary, RogerEbert.com (Sheila O'Malley, 2014)](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/omar-2013)\n4. [فيلم عمر (2013), elCinema](https://elcinema.com/work/2026448)\n5. [طاقم العمل: فيلم عمر 2013, elCinema](https://elcinema.com/work/2026448/cast)\n6. [Omar (2013), MUBI](https://mubi.com/en/gb/films/omar)\n7. [\"عمر\" فيلم عن الحياة دون أمل, هي magazine](https://www.hiamag.com/%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%85%D8%A7/164841-%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%85-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%A9-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%84)\n8. [\"Omar\" يلقى تصفيقا حادا بعد عرضه بكان, اليوم السابع (2013)](https://www.youm7.com/story/2013/5/20/Omar-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%B1%D8%AC-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%89-%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%89-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88-%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%82%D9%89-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF/1074946)\n9. [Omar makes a powerful statement, InReview (2013)](https://www.indailysa.com.au/inreview/archive/2013/10/14/omar-makes-a-powerful-statement)\n10. [Omar critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/omar/critic-reviews/)\n11. [هاني أبو أسعد.. علامة فارقة في السينما الفلسطينية (PDF)](https://awraq.yaf.ps/file/attachs/2734.pdf)\n12. [حول العالم: رام الله تحتضن العرض الافتتاحي لفيلم عمر](https://tunisien.tn/%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85/%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AA%D8%B6%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%B6-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%8A-%D9%84%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%85-%D8%B9)\n13. [Omar : séances à Paris, L'Officiel des spectacles](https://www.offi.fr/cinema/evenement/omar-49984.html)\n14. [الأخبار، العدد 2177، 16 كانون الأول 2013 (PDF)](https://media.al-akhbar.com/PDF_Files/2177/alakhbar20131216.pdf)\n15. [Omar (2013) Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2852406/awards/)\n16. [Shadow World of Israel's Palestinian Informants Spawns Three Acclaimed Films, TIME](https://time.com/40757/israel-omar-bethlehem-movies/)\n17. [Arab female directors drive change at the Red Sea Film Festival, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/9e50ea3f0e664fe0b945e35354040fe4)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works) › 2010–2014 films › Titles M to W*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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