Is The Sand Castle based on a true story? Explained

The Sand Castle (2025), directed by Matty Brown, is a psychological thriller that has caught viewers' attention through the vivid story of the family dynamics and survival within isolation. The story is about a family, Yasmine, Nabil, Adam, and Jana, who are stranded on an isolated island and nearly consumed by a hostile environment, developing from their inner struggles to face their deepest fears.

Many are left pondering the film's layered narrative and symbolic storytelling on whether it is based on real events.

No, the film is not based on real-life incidents. However, the film appears to draw inspiration from real-life events, particularly the plight of asylum seekers and migrants in the Mediterranean region.

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The creative origins of The Sand Castle

Still from the movie (Image via YouTube/MVSRS)

Directed and co-written by Matty Brown along with Hend Fakhroo and Yassmina Karajah, The Sand Castle does not claim that this film is a true story, but it seems like there are representations of real events in this film, especially referring to the situation of asylum seekers and migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.

Moreover, the story of Brown, though fictional, has some relevance to stories of displacement and survival reported in recent years. In February 2020, news emerged that the Turkish authorities had been urging the migrants and asylum seekers to attempt to cross the border into Greece without the necessary permission.

This resulted in tragic incidents along the Greek-Turkish border, where the people trying to cross over land and water were faced with resistance and violence. The film reflects similar events when Nabil tries his best to facilitate safe passage for his family only to see the boat capsize, leaving them stranded on an island.

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Themes rooted in universal and specific experiences

Still from the movie (Image via YouTube/MVSRS)

This could be why viewers may view the movie The Sand Castle as being true to life because it dwells on both universal and historical themes. It shows how people handle loss, solitude, and dysfunctional relationships. All these are threaded with the wider political context of migration, displacement, and survival under distress.

For instance, Nabil and his family's story is very similar to many refugees who leave war-torn countries like Syria or Lebanon. The story of Yara, Jana's older sister, who was killed in a school bombing, also makes the family's story more connected to the tragic impact of armed conflict.

The symbolism of Yara's red shoe, buried in the sand and later found by Jana, represents the haunting memories of loss and guilt that many survivors carry.

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Symbolism and fictional elements

While the film’s themes seem to be rooted in reality, its use of symbolism underscores its fictional nature. The island, depicted as both a physical and psychological space, amplifies the family’s internal conflicts. The lifeboat discovered by Jana in the final scenes serves as an ambiguous symbol of hope, escape, or perhaps delusion.

These elements indicate a deliberate artistic choice to leave the story open to interpretation, rather than presenting a factual account. Moreover, the fact that Rabbits Island, a real place in Mina, Lebanon, where parts of The Sand Castle were filmed, is used in the film gives the film a touch of reality to its location.

The fantasy of Jana regarding the island also gives the sense of home and security the family had to abandon. However, this is a fictional account and should not be confused with the actual happenings of the incident.

The film’s narrative, while fictional, reflects the harsh realities faced by refugees and migrants caught in political and humanitarian crises.

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Catch the psychological thriller The Sand Castle now streaming on Netflix!