Discover the best of Kuwaiti cinema, film, and television
Discover the definitive list of popular and critically-acclaimed movies and TV shows from Kuwait. Find your next binge-watch, streaming on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Prime Video, and other top services!
The cinema of Kuwait
Kuwaiti screen culture is a true pioneer in the Gulf, a creative force whose influence extends far beyond its borders, especially in the world of television. But to understand Kuwaiti storytelling, you must first look to the stage. For decades, its vibrant theatre movement has been a cultural cornerstone, celebrated across the Arab world for its sharp satire and bold dramas. This theatrical soul found its cinematic voice in a foundational masterpiece: Khalid Al Siddiq’s 1972 film Bas Ya Bahar (The Cruel Sea). This beautiful story of pearl divers in a pre-oil Kuwait is not just a movie; it’s a national treasure that announced the arrival of cinema in the Gulf. It is in television, however, that Kuwait truly became a regional superstar. Its drama series, or ‘musalsalat’, became the gold standard, watched in homes across the Khaleej region, especially during Ramadan. The nation also has a legendary love for comedy, producing superstars like the unforgettable Abdulhussain Abdulredha, whose wit became part of the cultural fabric. Today, a new wave of filmmakers is building on this incredible legacy. What makes Kuwaiti screen culture so special is this powerful blend of pioneering television and a deep, enduring love for storytelling, born in the theatre.
Best Kuwaiti series
The Exchange 2023
Set in Kuwait in 1988, two women making their way in the boys club of the Kuwait Stock Exchange, on the eve of Saddam Hussein's invasion of the country.
68
Past Tense 2024
Hind lives peacefully with her renowned doctor husband and two daughters, but her past of private parties threatens to resurface when her former partner reappears in her life…
100
The Time of Al-Ajaj 2024
Wijdan takes refuge in a village to escape the injustice of her father, and uses her intelligence to reach the village mayor (Ghaith) and his brother (Hamza). As events develop, Ghaith tries to escape from the conspiracies that are being hatched against him, while Wijdan plays a major role in changing the lives of the village people. .
100
A Pencil 2024
A family flees destruction during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and accidentally loses their daughter. However, the girl is found by a woman who decides to take care of her and raise her. Years later, the girl meets her biological family and tries to reconnect with them.
100
Forgotten Files 2024
A retired policewoman is pulled into a complex case in a quiet residential building, and discovers that much bigger secrets lie behind its doors.
90
Monsters 2025
The series presents, in a framework of mystery and suspense, a group of separate episodes, where each episode deals with one of the most prominent and famous true crimes that occurred in Kuwait over different years.
82
Best Kuwaiti movies
Honeymoonish 2024
Two newlyweds on their honeymoon discover that they are different in almost every way — but can these opposites attract?
61
Fires of Kuwait 1992
After Saddam Hussein had the Kuwait Oil wells lit up, teams from all over the world fought those fires for months. They had to save the oil resources, as well as reduce air pollution. The different teams developed different techniques of extinguishing the fires. Man's emergency creativity can be seen at it's best.
75
Bye Bye London 1982
A comedy about an old married man that travels to London with his nephew who does his to save him from exposure to fraud, and being mugged in London, the play also covers some political aspects and projections in addition to social criticism of some of the Arab situations.
81
Besht Al-Modeer 1995
The events revolve around a department that is teeming with corruption because of the staff of the manager, which he trusts and delivers everything to, and after the discovery of the matter, the decision is made to change the manager, so the new manager comes to find the same previous staff and deals with it, and the staff continues to corrupt.
90
مخروش طاح بكروش 1991
90
Al Maht 2021
Based on the successful social series, “Al Maht” revolves around a struggling high school graduate in choosing his destiny.
64