كوستا برافا، لبنان

a film by Mounia Akl

By a strange coincidence, the film I watched just after Paris, Texas was named in a similarly oxymoronic fashion: Costa Brava, Lebanon. I don’t want to give away any spoilers; suffice to say that Mounia Akl’s debut feature, starring Nadine Labaki (Caramel) and Saleh Bakri, did not disappoint. Watch it.

سكر بنات

a film by Nadine Labaki

Sukkar banat (Caramel) is a Lebanese movie directed by Nadine Labaki (who also stars in the film as Layale). There’s not much of a plot, just some beginnings or ends of love stories. The scene where Nisrine (Yasmine Elmasri), aka “Julie Pompidou”, is getting ready to become a virgin again, is hilarious. The one where Layale is waiting, in vain, for her married lover to turn up, is heartbreaking. If I had to choose my favourite character, it would be Rima (Joanna Moukarzel) — the one who can rev up the generator. A film full of longing, humour, sadness and hope; a work of beauty.