I Was A Stranger(2025)

PG-13
1h 43m
- Drama

Release Date: Jan 9, 2026 | Wide

When a Syrian doctor’s desperate decision to flee Aleppo with her young daughter sets off a chain of events, the lives of five strangers from different walks of life collide in a journey across borders and perilous seas. As they search for safety and belonging, their intersecting stories reveal the fragile humanity that endures amid war, displacement, and hope.

Releases

Original Release | Jan 9, 2026

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Director & Top Cast

Brandt Andersen
Director

Yasmine Al Massri
THE DOCTOR - Amira Homsi

Yahya Mahayni
THE SOLDIER - Mustafa

Omar Sy
The Smuggler - Marwan

Ziad Bakri
THE POET - Fathi

Constantine Markoulakis
THE CAPTAIN - Stavros

Ayman Samman

Shaheen

Jay Abdo

Papa Homsi

Mahmoud Bakri

Tarek

Saleh Bakri

Alaa

Jason Beghe

Actor

Carlos Chahine

Jack

Konstadinos Danikas

Babis

Massa Daoud

Rasha Homsi

Sara El Debuch

Sara

Rami Farah

Muhammad

Fares Helou

Adeem Faris

Baeyen Hoffman

Yusuf

Other Details

Country of Origin: Jordan,Occupied Palestinian Territory,United States

Language: Arabic,Greek,English

Summaries

Plot Summary

I Was a Stranger is a 2026 international drama directed, written, and produced by Brandt Andersen in his feature debut. Based on real-world experiences from millions affected by war and displacement, the film follows multiple characters whose paths intersect after conflict forces them into a shared struggle for survival and a deeper understanding of meaning. Central figures include a Syrian pediatric surgeon and her daughter, a dedicated soldier struggling with conscience, a smuggler trying to save his son, a poet searching for meaning, and a Greek coast guard captain torn between duty and mercy. The story unfolds across several countries and cultures, exploring themes of resilience, compassion, identity, and the universal search for safety and belonging in a fractured world. Shot through with emotional urgency and human complexity, the film blends tragedy with moments of connection and hope, grounded in both personal suffering and collective experience. I Was a Stranger premiered at global festivals under its earlier title The Stranger’s Case and is scheduled for wide theatrical expansion in the United States on January 9, 2026, after a limited run beginning December 31, 2025. With its ensemble cast and deeply human storytelling, the film will resonate with viewers who appreciate heartfelt dramas rooted in real events and global empathy.

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Fun Facts

The night-time dinghy-crossing sequence was filmed on an actual de-commissioned smuggler craft towed into open Mediterranean water; cinematographer Jonathan Sela shot the entire 7-minute scene in a single Steadicam loop—no cuts, no second unit—so every wave-slap and child-shiver you see is happening live, not in a tank.

I Was A Stranger(2025)

Current Showtimes

Director & Top Cast

Brandt Andersen

Yasmine Al Massri

Yahya Mahayni

Omar Sy

Ziad Bakri

Constantine Markoulakis