SimilarScreen
House of Sand and Fog

House of Sand and Fog

Some dreams can't be shared.

20037.22h 6m

Overview

Behrani, an Iranian immigrant buys a California bungalow, thinking he can fix it up, sell it again, and make enough money to send his son to college. However, the house is the legal property of former drug addict Kathy. After losing the house in an unfair legal dispute with the county, she is left with nowhere to go. Wanting her house back, she hires a lawyer and befriends a police officer. Neither Kathy nor Behrani have broken the law, so they find themselves involved in a difficult moral dilemma.

Directed by Vadim Perelman
Written by Shawn Lawrence Otto, Andre Dubus III, Vadim Perelman
Produced by Vadim Perelman, Michael London
Box OfficeBudget: $16.5MRevenue: $16.9M

Top Cast

Jennifer Connelly

Jennifer Connelly

Kathy

Ben Kingsley

Ben Kingsley

Behrani

Ron Eldard

Ron Eldard

Lester

Frances Fisher

Frances Fisher

Connie Walsh

Kim Dickens

Kim Dickens

Carol Burdon

Shohreh Aghdashloo

Shohreh Aghdashloo

Nadi

Jonathan Ahdout

Jonathan Ahdout

Esmail

Navi Rawat

Navi Rawat

Soraya

Kia Jam

Kia Jam

Ali

Carlos Gómez

Carlos Gómez

Lt. Alvarez

Themes & Keywords

depressionimmigrantsan francisco, californiahousetragedyintimidationbungalow

About House of Sand and Fog

House of Sand and Fog is a drama film released in 2003 exploring themes of depression, immigrant, san francisco, california, house, tragedy, intimidation. Directed by Vadim Perelman, it stars Jennifer Connelly, Ben Kingsley, Ron Eldard. Behrani, an Iranian immigrant buys a California bungalow, thinking he can fix it up, sell it again, and make enough money to send his son to college. However, the house is the legal property of former drug addict Kathy. After losing the house in an unfair legal dispute with the county, she is left with nowhere to go. Wanting her house back, she hires a lawyer and befriends a police officer. Neither Kathy nor Behrani have broken the law, so they find themselves involved in a difficult moral dilemma.

Movies Similar to House of Sand and Fog

Discover titles like House of Sand and Fog — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to House of Sand and Fog

If you enjoyed House of Sand and Fog, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of House of Sand and Fog.

Life as a House
29% Match

When a man is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he takes custody of his misanthropic teenage son, for whom quality time means getting high, engaging in small-time prostitution, and avoiding his father.

The Last Black Man in San Francisco
27% Match

Jimmie Fails dreams of reclaiming the Victorian home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco. Joined on his quest by his best friend Mont, Jimmie searches for belonging in a rapidly changing city that seems to have left them behind.

The Hours
26% Match

The Hours(2002)

Movie7.3/10

The story of three women searching for more potent, meaningful lives. Each is alive at a different time and place, all are linked by their yearnings and their fears. Their stories intertwine, and finally come together in a surprising, transcendent moment of shared recognition.

Million Dollar Baby
26% Match

Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

American History X
25% Match

Derek Vineyard is paroled after serving 3 years in prison for killing two African-American men. Through his brother, Danny Vineyard's narration, we learn that before going to prison, Derek was a skinhead and the leader of a violent white supremacist gang that committed acts of racial crime throughout L.A. and his actions greatly influenced Danny. Reformed and fresh out of prison, Derek severs contact with the gang and becomes determined to keep Danny from going down the same violent path as he did.

Detachment
25% Match

Detachment(2011)

Movie7.6/10

A chronicle of three weeks in the lives of several high school teachers, administrators and students through the eyes of substitute teacher, Henry Barthes. Henry roams from school to school, imparting modes of knowledge, but never staying long enough to form any semblance of sentient attachment.

Helen
25% Match

Helen(2009)

Movie6.5/10

On the outside, Helen has it all – a loving family and a successful career – but when her suppressed mental illness resurfaces, the world crumbles around her. Crippled by depression, Helen finds solace through her friendship with Mathilda, a kindred spirit struggling with bipolar disorder.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
25% Match

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1991. High school freshman Charlie is a wallflower, always watching life from the sidelines, until two senior students, Sam and her stepbrother Patrick, become his mentors, helping him discover the joys of friendship, music and love.

Beautiful Boy
24% Match

After he and his first wife separate, journalist David Sheff struggles to help their teenage son, who goes from experimenting with drugs to becoming devastatingly addicted to methamphetamine.

Henry Poole Is Here
24% Match

Henry Poole abandons his fiancée and family business to spend what he believes are his remaining days alone. The discovery of a 'miracle' by a nosy neighbor ruptures his solitude and restores his faith in life.

Aftersun
24% Match

Aftersun(2022)

Movie7.7/10

Sophie reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday she took with her father twenty years earlier. Memories fill the gaps between camcorder footages as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the troubled man she didn't.

The Whale
24% Match

The Whale(2022)

Movie7.8/10

A reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.

Ordinary People
23% Match

Beth, Calvin, and their son Conrad are living in the aftermath of the death of the other son. Conrad is overcome by grief and misplaced guilt to the extent of a suicide attempt. He is in therapy. Beth had always preferred his brother and is having difficulty being supportive to Conrad. Calvin is trapped between the two trying to hold the family together.