When I Saw You

When I Saw You

Directed by Annemarie Jacir

Produced by Faliro House Productions, Philistine Films

201493 min7.0 / 10

A tender, melancholic portrait of displacement and maternal love set in a refugee camp, where a boy's longing for his lost father anchors a meditation on loss and adaptation.

Tarek and his mother Ghaydaa number among the tens of thousands of refugees crossing the border from Palestine, having been separated from Tarek's father amidst the chaos of the Six Day War. They ultimately settle at the Harir refugee camp, a makeshift home for a new generation displaced by conflict. Tarek dreams of being reunited with his father, and struggles to adapt to a new life far away from all he previously knew.

Questions people ask

  • Is When I Saw You sad? Yes, very. More sad than 96% of films.

  • Is When I Saw You scary? Not especially. Less frightening than 65% of films.

  • Is When I Saw You violent? Not especially. Less violent than 64% of films.

  • Does When I Saw You end with hope? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

  • Is When I Saw You easy watching? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

55/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity43

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise53

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love70

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like When I Saw You

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as When I Saw You

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like When I Saw You, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like When I Saw You, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like When I Saw You, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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