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The Unknown Saint

Name: The Unknown Saint
Director: Alaa Eddine Aljem
Released: 2020
Duration: 101 min

Representation Score

6.2/10

Good

2020

Director

Alaa Eddine Aljem

Runtime

101 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film stands out for its cultural and thematic complexity, using humor and drama to explore how religious icons are created. It challenges traditional authority by showing how a criminal act can become a spiritual event. While the film offers a fresh perspective on non-Western cultures, it does not extensively explore specific identity-based issues. The main focus is on the tension between individual ability to act and communal superstition. Overall, the film is a thought-provoking examination of moral relativism and social construction, even though it may lack in-depth gender and LGBTQ+ representation.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Unknown Saint have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not focus on LGBTQ+ identities or dynamics outside of traditional heterosexual relationships. The story revolves around a single protagonist and their community's religious practices, without highlighting specific LGBTQ+ themes.

How does The Unknown Saint portray gender?

Fair

The story centers on a male protagonist navigating a community's religious fervor. Female characters are not deeply explored, and the narrative focuses more on communal dynamics than on gender-specific issues.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Unknown Saint?

Good

The film breaks away from Western-centric storytelling by focusing on a non-Western society. It highlights local cultural nuances and regional phenomena.

How does The Unknown Saint represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The narrative critiques institutionalized beliefs through a sophisticated lens. It examines how communities construct truth through superstition, presenting a saint figure as an unintended consequence of a crime.

Does The Unknown Saint include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no indication of the portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities in the narrative.

Present on Screen

Provides a nuanced critique of how social and religious institutions are built on accidental events.
Presents a non-Western perspective that challenges the dominance of Anglo-Saxon cinematic traditions.
Explores intricate themes of subjective morality and the interplay between individualism and superstition.

Limited or Absent

Does not include explicit representation or narrative structure for LGBTQ+ identities.
Offers limited visibility or detailed depiction of gender diversity.
Does not address physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the current narrative.

Official Synopsis

Following a stint behind bars, a thief returns to where he buried his loot, only to find that his hiding spot is now a shrine to an unknown saint.

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