House of Gods
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Founder | Osamah Sami, Shahin Shafaei |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Drama television series |
| Parent | Matchbox Pictures |
House of Gods is an Australian drama television series from 2024, developed by Osamah Sami and Shahin Shafaei, with production by Matchbox Pictures. The show was broadcast on ABC TV between 25 February and 31 March 2024.
Premise
The narrative unfolds in the Sydney suburb of Fairfield, centering on Sheikh Mohammad’s pursuit of the chief cleric role at his mosque. His reformist perspectives, encouraged by his children, lead to conflicts within the traditionally conservative community.
Cast
- Kamel El Basha as Sheikh Mohammad
- Osamah Sami as Isa
- Maia Abas as Batul
- Majid Shokor as Uncle Samir
- Safia Arain as Hind
- Simon Elrah as Sheikh Shaaker
- Priscilla Doueihy as Jamila
- Ali Ibrahim as Yusuf
- Azmi Al-Hasani as Aqil
- Saif Alawadi as Bilal
- Wadih Dona as Abu Hany
- Antoinette Lattouf as Leyla
Production
This drama series consists of six episodes, each lasting approximately 55 minutes. It was co-developed by Osamah Sami—whose father served as a mosque head cleric in Melbourne—and Shahin Shafaei, with Blake Ayshford and Sarah Bassiuoni contributing as co-writers. Sami originally presented the idea to Matchbox Pictures producer Sheila Jayaved around five to six years before filming commenced.
Fadia Abboud directed the series, while executive production was handled by Debbie Lee, Sally Riley, Sheila Jayaved, Blake Ayshford, and Brett Sleigh. Bree-Anne Sykes took on the role of series producer.
The cast is composed entirely of Arab Australian actors, including Kamel El Basha, Osamah Sami, Maia Abas, Majid Shokor, Safia Arain, Simon Elrah, Priscilla Doueihy, Ali Ibrahim, Azmi Al-Hasani, Saif Alawadi, Wadih Dona, and Antoinette Lattouf.
Broadcast
The program was shown on ABC TV in Australia from 25 February through 31 March 2024. All episodes were accessible for streaming on ABC iview starting from the initial air date.
Awards
At the 14th edition of Series Mania in France held in March 2024, Kamel El Basha received the Best Actor award.
Critical reception
Mostafa Rachwani of Guardian Australia awarded the show two stars, recognizing it as progress for Muslim representation within Australian television. Mel Campbell from ScreenHub rated it 3½ stars and characterized it as a compelling portrayal that thoughtfully addresses modern-day challenges.