Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tahar Rahim star in the new trailer for The Mauritanian, a hard-hitting legal drama based on the true story of Guantánamo Bay detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi. Directed by Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, State of Play) from a script by M.B. Traven, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani, the film tells the story of a man who spent 14 years in detention on suspicion that he was somehow connected to the devastating 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. Based on his best-selling memoir, Guantánamo Diary, The Mauritanian takes an in-depth look at the reprehensible treatment of Guantánamo prisoners as well as how justice sometimes prevails for those who never give up the fight.
Here's the official synopsis for The Mauritanian:
Captured by the U.S. Government, Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) languishes in prison for years without charge or trial. Losing all hope, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley). Together they face countless obstacles in a desperate pursuit for justice. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by the formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), eventually reveals a shocking and far-reaching conspiracy. Based on the New York Times best-selling memoir, this is the explosive true story of a fight for survival against all odds.
Joining Foster, Cumberbatch, and Tahar for the intense true-life drama are Zachary Levi and Saamer Usmani with Shailene Woodley.
“The motivator for myself and I think for all the actors was Mohamedou himself, and what an extraordinary person he is,” Macdonald recently said while speaking with Vanity Fair. “A wonderful, warm, humorous individual.”
“I see it as a film about him, as a very personal film, rather than as a political film,” he continued. “I think people are expecting a film about how terrible Guantánamo is, but we already know that.”
The Mauritanian is set for a February 19, 2021 release.