A Sad and Beautiful World

Presented by The Canadian Lebanese Association of PEI.
Dir: Cyril Aris, Lebanon/Germany, 2025, Romantic Drama/Comedy.
Mounia Akl, Hasan Akil, Julia Kassar, Camille Salameh.
In Arabic with English subtitles.
Presented as part of Lebanese Heritage Month 2026.
Winner of 18 International Film Festival Awards, including the People’s Choice Award at the 2025 Venice Film Festival.
Set against the ever-changing landscape of Lebanon, A Sad and Beautiful World is a moving love story about fate, belonging, and the enduring pull of home. Born in war-torn Beirut, Nino and Yasmina are childhood sweethearts who dream of a future together. When life takes them in different directions, they lose touch, only to reunite by chance twenty years later. Nino is now a restaurant owner, while Yasmina has become a successful economic consultant. Their connection is immediate, rekindling a love that never truly disappeared. But as their relationship blossoms, they face a difficult question: can they build a future together in a country marked by political instability, economic uncertainty, and the constant possibility of leaving? Blending romance, humour, and heartfelt drama, director Cyril Aris delivers a captivating portrait of love and resilience in contemporary Lebanon. Both joyful and bittersweet, the film explores the complicated emotions of loving a country that can be difficult to call home. A Sad and Beautiful World is a celebration of human connection, hope, and the ties that bind us to our roots.

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 110 min

Rating: 14A