The Painting Theft (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

The Painting Theft turns an apparently straightforward art theft into a supernatural chase. After a million-dinar masterpiece disappears, two students are pushed into tracking down the mysterious figures that have stepped out of the painting in this seven-minute Iraqi comedy-fantasy short.

The Painting Theft begins with a theft involving a valuable masterpiece, but its premise quickly moves beyond an ordinary crime story. The film follows two students whose pursuit takes an unexpected supernatural turn when figures leave the artwork itself.

Written and directed by Aram Naman, this Iraqi short film combines comedy and fantasy within a compact seven-minute runtime. Its central mystery is built around the stolen painting, the figures it releases and the sacrifice suggested by its tagline: “Every game needs a sacrifice.”

The Painting Theft movie details

Story without spoilers

The story centers on the theft of a masterpiece valued at 1 million dinars. What initially appears to be a simple crime develops into a supernatural pursuit, forcing two students, Hama and Danyar, to search for the figures that have stepped out of the painting.

The supplied premise keeps the details of that pursuit under wraps, but it establishes a clear blend of art-world intrigue, strange fantasy and comic complications. The short format suggests a focused setup built around the stolen artwork and the students’ unusual mission.

What to expect

The Painting Theft is identified as both a comedy and a fantasy film, so viewers can expect a story that pairs an unusual supernatural premise with lighter, comic elements. The stolen masterpiece provides the starting point, while the escape of figures from the frame gives the film its fantastical hook.

At seven minutes, the film is a brief, tightly contained short rather than an extended feature-length narrative. The tagline points toward a game or challenge involving sacrifice, although the supplied information does not reveal how that idea develops.

Cast and creative team

Essa sarbaz plays Hama, while Rawaz Awat plays Danyar. Aram Naman wrote and directed The Painting Theft, making the film a project led by the same filmmaker in both its writing and directing roles.

• Essa sarbaz as Hama
• Rawaz Awat as Danyar

Release and production context

The Painting Theft is a 2026 film from Iraq with a runtime of seven minutes. It was released on September 9, 2026, and is listed as a comedy and fantasy production. The supplied information does not specify a spoken language or production company.

Movies Dock view

With its short runtime and distinctive premise, The Painting Theft focuses on the collision between a valuable work of art and a supernatural mystery. The film’s story is anchored by Hama and Danyar’s pursuit of the escaped figures, while its comedy-fantasy classification signals a lighter approach to the strange events surrounding the theft.

Film data:
TMDB