# A Stray
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Stray
> Source revision: 1339690900
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{other uses|Stray (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}}
{{Infobox film
| name = A Stray
| image = A Stray poster.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| director = Musa Syeed
| producer = [Jamila Wignot](/source/Jamila_Wignot)
| writer = Musa Syeed
| story =
| starring = [Barkhad Abdirahman](/source/Barkhad_Abdirahman)
| music =
| cinematography = Yoni Brook
| editing = Kamau Bilal
Ray Hubley
| studio = Vilcek Foundation
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|2016|3|14|[South by Southwest](/source/South_by_Southwest)|ref1=[{{cite news|last=Lussenhop|first=Jessica|title=A Stray: Finding and filming the real Somali immigrant experience|date=27 October 2016|work=[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37735113|accessdate=8 July 2018}}]}}
| runtime = 82 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
Somali
| budget =
| gross =
}}
'''''A Stray''''' is a 2016 American drama film starring [Barkhad Abdirahman](/source/Barkhad_Abdirahman).[{{cite magazine|last=Harvey|first=Dennis|title=Film Review: 'A Stray'|date=29 March 2016|magazine=[Variety](/source/Variety_(magazine))|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/markets-festivals/a-stray-review-1201732143/|accessdate=8 July 2018}}][{{cite magazine|last=Sealy|first=Shirley|title=Film Review: A Stray|date=20 October 2016|magazine=[Film Journal International](/source/Film_Journal_International)|url=http://www.filmjournal.com/reviews/film-review-stray|accessdate=8 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708191922/http://www.filmjournal.com/reviews/film-review-stray|archive-date=8 July 2018|url-status=dead}}][{{cite news|last=Murthi|first=Vikram|title='A Stray' Exclusive Trailer: A Somali Refugee In Minneapolis Befriends A Stray Dog|date=11 October 2016|work=[IndieWire](/source/IndieWire)|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2016/10/a-stray-trailer-barkhad-abdirahman-sxsw-2016-musa-syeed-1201735608/|accessdate=8 July 2018}}][{{cite magazine|last=DeFore|first=John|title='A Stray': Film Review|date=22 October 2016|magazine=[The Hollywood Reporter](/source/The_Hollywood_Reporter)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/a-stray-940707|accessdate=8 July 2018}}]
==Plot==
A young [Somali](/source/Somalis) man named Adan (played by Barkhad Abdirahman) is kicked out of his home and must survive on the streets of his hometown, [Minneapolis](/source/Minneapolis). He begrudgingly befriends a stray dog, which brings him companionship. However, it also brings Adan further exile from his family, his friends, and his community, as caring for a dog as a pet may be seen as [haram](/source/haram) for Muslims,[{{cite web|title=Chapter: Using A Dog For Hunting And Other Than That|work=Sunnah.com|url=https://sunnah.com/abudawud/17/1|accessdate=30 January 2021}}] especially in Somali culture. The film explores loneliness and belonging with intimate shots of Minneapolis seen through the eyes of a downtrodden Somali immigrant.
==Cast==
*Barkhad Abdirahman as Adan
*Christina Baldwin
*Ifrah Mansour
*[Faysal Ahmed](/source/Faysal_Ahmed)
*[Fathia Absie](/source/Fathia_Absie)
*Ismael Abdullahi
==Reception==
The film has a 100% rating on [Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes).[{{cite web|title=A Stray|work=[Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_stray/|accessdate=8 July 2018}}] Omer M. Mozaffar of [RogerEbert.com](/source/RogerEbert.com) awarded the film four stars.[{{cite web|last=Mozaffar|first=Omer M.|title=A Stray|date=21 October 2016|publisher=[RogerEbert.com](/source/RogerEbert.com)|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-stray-2016|accessdate=8 July 2018}}] Chris Hewitt of the ''[St. Paul Pioneer Press](/source/St._Paul_Pioneer_Press)'' awarded it three and a half stars.[{{cite news|last=Hewitt|first=Chris|title='A Stray' gets right the story of a man, a dog and 'trying to do the right thing'|date=18 October 2016|newspaper=[St. Paul Pioneer Press](/source/St._Paul_Pioneer_Press)|url=https://www.twincities.com/2016/10/18/a-stray-movie-review/|accessdate=8 July 2018}}] Colin Covert of the ''[Star Tribune](/source/Star_Tribune)'' gave the film three and a half stars out of four.[{{cite news|last=Covert|first=Colin|title=Somali actor shines in Minneapolis-filmed drama 'A Stray'|date=14 October 2016|newspaper=[Star Tribune](/source/Star_Tribune)|url=http://www.startribune.com/a-lonely-man-finds-a-new-best-friend-in-stray-dog/396964611/|accessdate=8 July 2018}}]
However, the film received a negative review from Thaddeus McCollum and Cameron Meier of ''[Orlando Weekly](/source/Orlando_Weekly)''; they awarded the film one and a half stars out of five.[{{cite news|last2=Meier|first2=Cameron|last1=McCollum|first1=Thaddeus|title=6 movies to skip at the 2017 Florida Film Festival|date=19 April 2017|newspaper=[Orlando Weekly](/source/Orlando_Weekly)|url=https://www.orlandoweekly.com/orlando/6-movie-to-skip-at-the-2017-florida-film-festival/Content?oid=3889389|accessdate=8 July 2018}}]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{IMDb title|5447852}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|a_stray}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stray, A}}
Category:2016 films
Category:American drama films
Category:Somali-language films
Category:Films set in Minnesota
Category:Films shot in Minnesota
Category:2016 American films
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [A Stray](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Stray) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Stray?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.