Romantic and sharp, this is a story of two souls bound by fate, a country on the brink of collapse, and a love story that refuses to give up on either.
Told with propulsive visual energy, collage-like editing and the time jumps that help the narrative traverse three decades, this opposites-attract love story gains uniqueness thanks to its form.
A Sad and Beautiful World 2025
Nujum al'amal w al'alam
Born mere minutes apart in a hospital in war torn Beirut, Nino (Hasan Akil) is an irrepressible optimist with his head in the clouds despite his tragic family history, whereas Yasmina (Mounia Akl) is a realist and prone to imagining the worst. During their childhood they form a close bond that abruptly ended as Yasmina is forced to move away. Years later, fate intervenes when Nino crashes his car into a building owned by Yasmina's mother, which brings them back together and rekindles their connection.
As their love deepens and Yasmina gets a job offer abroad, the couple must decide whether they want to stay in Lebanon to start a family while nurturing Nino's family business in the country that they love, or move away from family and friends for a safer future. A Sad and Beautiful World playfully blends elements of romantic comedy and social commentary, with dialogue sharp as it is tender. Finding hope inside a country on the brink of collapse, the film transports the audience through three decades of Lebanese history through the eyes of two lovers bound by fate.
- Jordan Salomen