Unidentified

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Unidentified

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1h 41m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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86%

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22 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Twenty-nine year old Noelle Al Saffan moves to the city to start a new life after her divorce. Obsessed with "true crime" podcasts, she takes a job at a police station digitizing their old files. Her official work is mundane but, everything changes when the body of a young woman is discovered in the desert and the officers need a female present to investigate. Noelle jumps at the chance to participate in police work outside of the copy room, and haunted by the girl’s senseless and mysterious death, she launches her own investigation to identify the victim and solve her murder. Despite repeated warnings from the Police Chief to stay off the case, Noelle uses her ability to connect with other Saudi women to piece together a picture of who the girl was. Following the advice of her favorite video podcast, she investigates everyone who might be connected to the crime. Noelle doggedly pursues the mystery, putting herself in danger and challenging her preconceived notions about women in the Kingdom, the threats they face, and even the motivations that connect her to the victim.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

1d

3/4

While “Unidentified” doesn’t carry as much thematic weight as the previous two films in al-Mansour’s trilogy, it does know how to jolt you out of your seat when it counts.

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Ben Kenigsberg

New York Times

1d

Ultimately, Nawal has the right to be at the center of a ludicrous film.

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Jacob Oller

AV Club

4d

D+

Even the third-act pivot, which pushes Unidentified further into campy, confused daytime TV territory, can’t rouse an audience nodding off after a stakeless, thrill-free whodunnit.

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Oscar Goff

Boston Hassle

13h

Unidentified is a somewhat frustrating film [...] stuck in a gray area between deeply serious issues-drama and giddy, gleeful pulp. Yet there is a life to it which is undeniable, and it’s bound to spark endless discussions spilling out into the lobby.

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Al Alexander

Movies Thru the Spectrum

17h

B-

Unidentified" isn’t perfect, it’s certainly a mildly entertaining curiosity that delivers enough subversive thrills worthy of its burning sands.

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Todd Jorgenson

Cinemalogue

19h

Rich cultural specificity brings a fresh perspective to an otherwise formulaic murder mystery in this Saudi thriller, which also features a nifty late twist.

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Marcio F

@RT21131334 1d

Although the main character’s fierceness and defiance of male authority in such a patriarchal society is not very believable, the movie provides a a rare glimpse into a society few outsiders know. The ending is really good. Definitely worth a watch.

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Haifaa Al-Mansour

Director

Mila Al Zahrani

Actor

Abdullah Al Qahtani

Meshaal

Aziz Gharbawi

Actor

Shafi Al Harthi

Actor

Adwa Alasiri

Actor

Unidentified: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Twenty-nine year old Noelle Al Saffan moves to the city to start a new life after her divorce. Obsessed with "true crime" podcasts, she takes a job at a police station digitizing their old files. Her official work is mundane but, everything changes when the body of a young woman is discovered in the desert and the officers need a female present to investigate. Noelle jumps at the chance to participate in police work outside of the copy room, and haunted by the girl’s senseless and mysterious death, she launches her own investigation to identify the victim and solve her murder. Despite repeated warnings from the Police Chief to stay off the case, Noelle uses her ability to connect with other Saudi women to piece together a picture of who the girl was. Following the advice of her favorite video podcast, she investigates everyone who might be connected to the crime. Noelle doggedly pursues the mystery, putting herself in danger and challenging her preconceived notions about women in the Kingdom, the threats they face, and even the motivations that connect her to the victim.

Director: Haifaa Al-Mansour
Producer: Brad Niemann, Haifaa Al-Mansour
Screenwriter: Haifaa Al-Mansour, Brad Niemann
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Al Mansour Establishment for Media Production, Rotana Studios
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Arabic
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 19, 2026, Limited
Runtime: 1h 41m