@celeste_writes
A patient, formally daring work — the cinematography lingers on empty rooms longer than most audiences will tolerate, but those who stay are rewarded with the most haunting final act of the year.
The Ornament of the World
Filmed in Cordoba, Granada, Seville, and Toledo, this documentary retraces the 800-year period in medieval Spain when Muslims, Christians, and Jews forged a common cultural identity that frequently transcended their religious differences, revealing what made this rare and fruitful collaboration possible, and what ultimately tore it apart.
Quick Stats
7.8
TMDB Rating
4
Votes
1h 56m
Runtime
—
Budget
—
Box Office
—
Return
Key Crew
DirectorMichael Schwarz
WriterJason Cohn
CinematographyVicente Franco
ComposerRay Day
EditorGail Huddleson
Produced by
Kikim Media
Where to Watch
Streaming
PBS Living Amazon ChannelFree
KanopyRent
Amazon Video
Apple TV StoreBuy
Amazon VideoApple TV StoreSee more on TMDB → JustWatch
Critics & Reviews
3 featured@jhalberg
I walked in expecting another genre exercise and walked out feeling like I'd been eavesdropping on a confession. The lead performance is genuinely singular — a career-defining turn.
@priya_a
A few too many scenes feel borrowed from a better film, but the soundtrack and the production design carry the rest. Solid recommendation for fans of slow-burn European thrillers.
Cast
R
Reuven Firestone
Himself (Hebrew Union College)
D
David Levering Lewis
Himself (New York University)
J
Jerrilynn D. Dodds
Herself (Sarah Lawrence College)
F
Frank Peters
Himself (New York University)
M
María Rosa Menocal
Herself (Author, The Ornament of the World)
D
D. Fairchild Ruggles
Herself (Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
A
Abigail Balbale
Herself (New York University)
A
Adnan Husain
Himself (Queen's University)
T
Teofilo Ruiz
Himself (Univ. of California, Los Angeles)
D
Dwight Reynolds
Himself (Univ. of California, Santa Barbara)
R
Ross Brann
Himself (Cornell University)
R
Richard Bulliet
Himself (Columbia University)
D
David Nirenberg
Himself (University of Chicago)
P
Peter Linehan
Himself (Cambridge University)
T
Tim Phelan
Narrator (voice)
