The Teacher

Play trailer

2:20

The Teacher

Apr 2025

1h 58m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

29 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

In this gripping drama by Oscar nominated and BAFTA winning director Farah Nabulsi (The Present), Palestinian schoolteacher Basem (Saleh Bakri) faces personal turmoil after a tragic incident involving his son. He finds solace in a deep bond with his student Adam and British social worker Lisa (Imogen Poots). Meanwhile, an American attorney and his wife push for the return of their son, an Israeli soldier held by a Palestinian resistance group, leading to tensions over a potential prisoner exchange. The intertwining stories highlight themes of empathy and conflict, culminating in a powerful narrative marked by unexpected twists.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

A political drama that hits a raw emotional nerve thanks in part to Saleh Bakri's terrific lead performance, The Teacher marks an auspicious feature-length debut by writer-director Farah Nabulsi.

Read Critics Reviews

Carlos Aguilar

Los Angeles Times

Apr 21

That spirit-crushing feeling of powerlessness is what director Nabulsi aims to fend off, admittedly through not always effective narrative means, but with emotional sincerity nonetheless.

Go to Full Review

Bob Mondello

NPR

Apr 17

Writer-director Farah Nabulsi ratchets up the tension, as well as the pain... She's given events a neatness and symmetry that seems unlikely in real life, but there's truth in the emotional trauma.

Go to Full Review

Hannah Giorgis

The Atlantic

Apr 15

The Teacher, in its best stretches, captures the intimate horrors of life under harrowing circumstances -- and the lifesaving power of the relationships that people still manage to forge and nurture.

Go to Full Review

Matthew St. Clair

Cinematic Words of a Chaotic Gemini (Substack)

May 4

B

Similar to his work as a closeted gay man in The Blue Caftan, Saleh Bakri conveys a whirlwind of conflict and despair with just his eyes.

Go to Full Review

Sara Clements

Next Best Picture

Apr 18

8/10

It’s incredibly heavy. At times, nearly unbearable in its realism. But it’s also beautiful, brave, and vital.

Go to Full Review

James Verniere

Boston Movie News

Apr 18

A-

Powerful, a kind of fiction version of 2024 Academy Award winning documentary "No Other Land." Saleh Baki is superb.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Siosiua Vea

Apr 28

Raw. Emotional. Elusively Humane.

See more

Lisa

Apr 27

Excellent movie! So well written, and the acting was phenomenal. The best movie I have seen in a long time. Its real life so its unpredictable, which I really enjoy. I will see it again.

See more

Badie

Apr 22

Powerful and raw — The Teacher tells the side of the story we rarely see. A must-watch.

See more

DJ

Apr 20

Really well made movie, had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Artistically well done. Would buy this movie at home to watch over and over.

See more

CL

Apr 19

"important" movie to see for sociopolitical reasons. Great acting, but they have an uphill climb. Too many plots that don't add up. But if you haven't spent time in the West Bank, worth seeing.

See more

Kevin

Apr 19

Lovely in every aspect!

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Farah Nabulsi

Director

Saleh Bakri

Basem El Saleh

Imogen Poots

Lisa

Muhammad Abed Elrahman

Adam

Stanley Townsend

Simon Cohen

Andrea Irvine

Actor

Treading Water

%

%

Treading Water

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Treading Water

Little Women

95%

92%

Little Women

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Little Women

Nowhere Special

100%

94%

Nowhere Special

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Nowhere Special

Living

96%

91%

Living

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Living

Nothing But a Man

98%

88%

Nothing But a Man

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Teacher: Trailer 1

2:20

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

In this gripping drama by Oscar nominated and BAFTA winning director Farah Nabulsi (The Present), Palestinian schoolteacher Basem (Saleh Bakri) faces personal turmoil after a tragic incident involving his son. He finds solace in a deep bond with his student Adam and British social worker Lisa (Imogen Poots). Meanwhile, an American attorney and his wife push for the return of their son, an Israeli soldier held by a Palestinian resistance group, leading to tensions over a potential prisoner exchange. The intertwining stories highlight themes of empathy and conflict, culminating in a powerful narrative marked by unexpected twists.

Director: Farah Nabulsi
Producer: Sawsan Asfari, Farah Nabulsi, Ossama Bawardi
Screenwriter: Farah Nabulsi, Farah Nabulsi
Distributor: Watermelon Pictures
Production Co: Cocoon Films, Cocoonfilms
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 11, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 58m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now