Netflix drama From the Ashes tells the terrible true story of a school turning into a raging inferno, sending the establishment into a terrifying nightmare. The Saudi Arabian movie explores a horrifying real-life tragedy, however it obviously takes liberal artistic license for the sake of entertainment.
Is From the Ashes based on a true story?
Netflix confirms that From the Ashes is inspired by a real-life event. In the film, a fire breaks out in the basement of Secondary School 2300 for girls, and the narrative follows the chaos and tragedy that ensues as a result.
The official Netflix synopsis reads:
“From the ashes of a devastating fire at a girls’ school rises a tale of rebellion, accusations and shocking consequences. Inspired by true events.”
What are the real events that inspired From the Ashes?
While “inspired” by real events, From the Ashes is largely a work of fiction, and the film itself is quick to remind viewers of this. It opens with the following: “Certain aspects have been fictionalized for storytelling purposes.” The on-screen caption continues by saying, “Any similarity to actual persons or events is not intended.”
So the film may be based on a fire at an all-girls school, but that is as far as the real-life connection goes.
5 other Saudi Arabian Movies on Netflix
There are a lot of Saudi movies available on Netflix, so here are five you might want to check out.
Farha (2021)
This is a historical drama that tells of the Palestinian Nakba catastrophe seen through the eyes of a teenage girl.
The Book of Sun (2020)
A light-hearted and comedic tale, set in 2010 and following high school senior Husam, his best friend Maan, and their teacher Orabi who have dreams of being filmmakers, seeking to produce their own horror movie.
The Perfect Candidate (2019)
This film follows Maryam, a young doctor who longs for a better position in Dubai, but finds she is not permitted to travel there. Instead, she makes the most of an administration error and applies to run in her local elections.
The Red Sea Diving Resort (2019)
This action thriller is inspired by true events and follows a group of Mossad agents who use a disused holiday resort in Sudan to help thousands of refugees to get Israel.
Wadjda (2012)
Wadjda is a young ten-year-old girl who is bright and full of ambition. She has her heart set on a bicycle and knows the only way to get it is to earn enough to buy it for herself. However, societal norms frown upon her dream, and her parents will not help, so when she hears of a cash prize for a Quran recitation competition at her school, Wadjda throws herself into the task, desperate to win so she can buy the bike.
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