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The Man Who Sold His Skin

Play trailer Poster for The Man Who Sold His Skin 2020 1h 44m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
88% Tomatometer 52 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Sam Ali, a young sensitive and impulsive Syrian, left his country for Lebanon to escape the war. To be able to travel to Europe and live with the love of his life, he accepts to have his back tattooed by one of by the World's most sulfurous contemporary artist. Turning his own body into a prestigious piece of art, Sam will however come to realize that his decision might actually mean anything but freedom.
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The Man Who Sold His Skin

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Critics Consensus

The Man Who Sold His Skin uses the tension between art and commerce as powerful fuel for a sobering story about freedom and human dignity.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Observer (UK) Sep 27, 2021
3/5
Provocative and challenging, if not the most subtle piece of political commentary, the film certainly cements Kaouther Ben Hania as a name to watch in Arab cinema. Go to Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian Sep 24, 2021
2/5
The supposedly important themes of immigrants and Syria are cancelled by its naive flippancy. Go to Full Review David Ehrlich IndieWire Apr 9, 2021
C
"The Man Who Sold His Skin" stretches itself so thin that you can almost see its veins struggling to circulate the blood Ben Hania needs to bring her story home. Go to Full Review Joseph Tomastik Loud and Clear Reviews Oct 3, 2024
4/5
An excellently crafted film that effectively touches upon issues of systemic oppression and the exploitation of people for selfish or political gain. Go to Full Review Annlee Ellingson CineWomen Jul 29, 2024
The scenario, the quandaries it poses, and especially [Yahya] Mahayni’s galvanic performance [are] as indelible as the ink on Sam’s skin. Go to Full Review Paul Kanieski KSQD Community Radio Jul 25, 2023
The Man Who Sold His Skin is writer/director Kaouther Ben Hania’s sophomore feature, but it has the polish and strong visual vocabulary of a much more experienced filmmaker. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Franoise F Apr 9, 2021 Interesting ideas. A little boring in its execution..... See more Stacy D Apr 7, 2021 Well told and thought provoking See more Benjamin H @RT03626419 Sep 25, 2026 A very unusual premise. This film has a good message about the treatment of immigrants and how hard it is to leave your home country. See more Justin S @RT80823214 Jun 29, 2025 A fantastic exploration of art, geopolitics, and immigration. I never knew where it was going to head next. See more Kevin M @RT15646362 Jun 18, 2024 Loosely based on a true story, the film follows a man who has his back tattooed by a famous artist. The “art” is then sold, and he sits in art galleries as an exhibit. I was looking for a message about the Syrian refugee crisis, or materialism, or illegal immigration, or human trafficking, or something, but no. It’s just about a guy whose back becomes a piece of art. The acting was mediocre, but the story was interesting. See more Siriporn P @Malee Oct 11, 2023 The love story is a bit lame. The part of human rights/freedom is interesting and could be discussable. See more Read all reviews
The Man Who Sold His Skin

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Cast & Crew

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Kaouther Ben Hania

Director

Yahya Mahayni

Sam Ali

Monica Bellucci

Soraya Waldy

Koen De Bouw

Jeffrey Godefroi

Marc De Panda

Marc Sheen

Saad Lostan

Ziad

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The Man Who Sold His Skin

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Movie Info

Synopsis Sam Ali, a young sensitive and impulsive Syrian, left his country for Lebanon to escape the war. To be able to travel to Europe and live with the love of his life, he accepts to have his back tattooed by one of by the World's most sulfurous contemporary artist. Turning his own body into a prestigious piece of art, Sam will however come to realize that his decision might actually mean anything but freedom.
Director
Kaouther Ben Hania
Producer
Thanassis Karathanos, Annabella Nezri, Andreas Rocksén, Martin Hampel
Screenwriter
Kaouther Ben Hania
Production Co
Tanit Films, Sunnyland Film, ZDF/Arte, Istiqlal Films, Bac Films, Ministère des Affaires Culturelles, SACEM, Belga Film Fund, Fonds Images de la Francophonie, Kwassa Films, Laika Film & Television AB, Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion, Eurimages, Swedish Film Institute, Cinétéléfilms, Metafora Production, Centre National du Cinéma et de L'image Animée, BE TV, Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Film i Väst, Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral Belge, VOO, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Arabic
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 2, 2021
Runtime
1h 44m
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