Miral

Miral
Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2010
Founder	Julian Schnabel (director), Rula Jebreal (writer)
Products	Biographical political drama film

Miral is a 2010 biographical political drama directed by Julian Schnabel that portrays the maturation of a Palestinian girl named Miral, set during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. The script, penned by Rula Jebreal, adapts her novel bearing the same title. The film had its debut on 3 September at the 67th Venice International Film Festival and was later released in France on 15 September 2010.

Plot

The narrative begins with Hind Husseini's initiative to create an orphanage in Jerusalem in the aftermath of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and the Deir Yassin Massacre. While heading to work in 1948, Hind Husseini (Hiam Abbass) discovers 55 orphaned children and decides to take them under her care. Within half a year, their numbers swell to almost 2,000, prompting the establishment of the Dar Al-Tifel Institute.

In 1978, after her mother's passing, Miral (Freida Pinto) is sent by her father to live at the Institute at age five. Growing up protected within its walls, she remains oblivious to the external turmoil until she turns 15 and begins teaching at a refugee camp. There, she is confronted with the stark conditions endured by Palestinian refugees. When Miral falls in love with Hani, a militant, she finds herself torn between the uprising of the First Intifada and Mama Hind’s belief that education holds the key to peace.

Cast

Sama Abu Khdeir as Little Rania
Hiam Abbass as Hind al-Husseini
Freida Pinto as Miral
Yasmine Al Masri as Nadia
Ruba Blal as Fatima
Alexander Siddig as Jamal
Omar Metwally as Hani
Willem Dafoe as Eddie
Vanessa Redgrave as Bertha Spafford
Stella Schnabel as Lisa
Makram Khoury as Khatib
Zidane Awad as Miras
Doraid Liddawi as Sameer
Shredy Jabarin as Ali
Juliano Mer-Khamis as Sheikh Saabah

Production

The movie draws from the autobiographical novel by Palestinian writer Rula Jebreal, which reflects her upbringing in the West Bank during the period of the First Intifada. Director Julian Schnabel felt a personal connection to this project, referencing his identity as an American Jew whose mother led Brooklyn’s Hadassah chapter—the Women's Zionist Organization of America—in 1948, enabling him to offer a balanced viewpoint on the conflict.

Release

Miral premiered at the Venice Film Festival on 3 September 2010 and was released in France on 15 September 2010. The UK release followed on 3 December 2010, with a US debut on 25 March 2011. Initially classified as R by the MPAA due to violent scenes including sexual assault, the rating was later revised to PG-13 after an appeal by the Weinstein Company, which argued that thematic elements and some violent content were more appropriate for this classification.

Critics

The film Miral was met with largely unfavorable critiques. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 18% based on 65 reviews, averaging a score of 4.5/10. Meanwhile, on Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100 from 51 critics, reflecting "mixed or average reviews."

Kelly Vance praised Pinto’s lead performance for its dignity, emphasizing Miral’s rejection of violence in favor of education and dialogue embodied by Hind Husseini (Abbass). Kenneth Morefield regarded the film as ambitious but ultimately falling short of excellence, though recognizing its commendable aspects.

Sheri Linden from The Los Angeles Times criticized the absence of a compelling protagonist and Schnabel's tentative direction, comparing parts to melodrama. Justin Chang of Variety felt Schnabel’s narrative approach was ill-suited for this multi-generational story, portraying Miral more as an uninspiring symbol than an engaging character.

Deborah Young at The Hollywood Reporter described it as a politically charged film carrying an overt message of hope but noted its superficial exploration of complex topics such as terrorism and West Bank settlements. Geoffrey Macnab from The Independent labeled it "unevenly performed" and "choppily edited" yet acknowledged its "courageous" and "groundbreaking" qualities.

Public engagement with filmmakers

On 30 March 2011, Columbia University's Center for Palestine Studies hosted an open panel discussion centered on Miral. The event featured director Julian Schnabel alongside Palestinian journalist Rula Jebreal, whose autobiographical work served as the film’s inspiration. Helga Tawil Souri (NYU) and Hamid Dabashi (Columbia) moderated the conversation, which included reflections on the film’s debut at the UN General Assembly. During the discussion, Schnabel highlighted the political significance of the film in his exchange with UN Assembly President Joseph Deiss.

The screening at the UN encountered criticism from both the Israeli government and the American Jewish Committee due to what they perceived as a negative depiction of Israel. As a Jewish-American filmmaker, Schnabel encouraged members of the AJC to watch the film, emphasizing that its purpose was to protect Israel’s legacy rather than undermine it. The premiere also attracted notable Hollywood figures such as Sean Penn, Robert De Niro, Steve Buscemi, and Josh Brolin.

External links

Columnist Ray Hanania on the importance of the film