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Drama

Towelhead (2008): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Towelhead (2008) movie poster

Towelhead is a 2008 drama directed by Alan Ball, starring Summer Bishil, Aaron Eckhart and Peter Macdissi. It is based on Towelhead by Alicia Erian. It runs 2 hours 4 minutes and earned $691,733 worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Female Lead at the Spirit Awards 2009. Critics gave it 49% on Rotten Tomatoes and 57 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.1/10.

IMDb rating
6.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes
49%
worldwide gross
$691.7K
award nomination
1
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Towelhead (2008) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 4m (124 min)
Director
Alan Ball
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Towelhead About?

The premise of Towelhead without spoilers, adapted from Towelhead by Alicia Erian. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Jasira, a young woman raised in a conservative household, struggles to reconcile her upbringing with the realities of American culture. She finds comfort and connection through unexpected friendships with her neighbors, Mr. Vuoso and Melina. As these relationships evolve, they challenge Jasira’s deeply held values and create friction with her father’s rigid expectations, forcing her to confront difficult choices and navigate a complex path to self-discovery.

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Cast & crew

Towelhead Cast

Summer Bishil leads the cast, with Aaron Eckhart and Peter Macdissi. Directed by Alan Ball.

Ratings

Towelhead Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Towelhead 49% on Rotten Tomatoes and 57 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.1/10.

Plot

Towelhead Plot Summary

What happens in Towelhead from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1990, amid the Kuwait War of 1990–1991, 13-year-old Jasira, Summer Bishil, a Lebanese-American girl, lives with her mother in Syracuse, New York. When her mother’s live-in boyfriend helps Jasira shave her pubic hair, her mother sends Jasira to live with her old-fashioned and domineering Lebanese father, Rifat, in suburban Houston, Texas. Rifat is intensely strict; he does not permit her to use tampons and would rather spend time with his new girlfriend Thena. Even Jasira’s mother offers little support when she reaches out for help, leaving Jasira to endure his rules on her own.

Full summary

The whole story of Towelhead, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Towelhead Box Office

Towelhead grossed $691,733 worldwide. $372,124 came from the US and Canada and $319,609 (46%) from the rest of the world.

2008 box office

Worldwide gross

$691.7K

US & Canada
$372.1K
International
$319.6K
US & Canada 54% Rest of the world 46%
Awards

Towelhead Awards & Nominations

Towelhead earned 1 award nomination, including Best Female Lead at the Spirit Awards 2009.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Videos

Towelhead Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Towelhead.

Nothing Is Private "Towelhead" official Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Towelhead?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the 13‑year‑old protagonist?

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FAQ

Towelhead FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of Towelhead, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Towelhead?

Towelhead runs 2 hours 4 minutes (124 minutes).

When was Towelhead released?

Towelhead was released on September 12, 2008.

Who directed Towelhead?

Towelhead was directed by Alan Ball.

More films by Alan Ball

Who is in the cast of Towelhead?

Towelhead stars Summer Bishil, Aaron Eckhart and Peter Macdissi.

How much did Towelhead make at the box office?

Towelhead grossed $691,733 worldwide ($372,124 domestic, $319,609 international).

How is Towelhead rated?

Towelhead has 6.1/10 on IMDb, 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, 57 on Metacritic and 62% on TMDB.

Is Towelhead based on a book?

Yes. Towelhead is adapted from Towelhead by Alicia Erian.

Was Towelhead nominated for any awards?

Towelhead received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

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