What to watch

Top 5 Arab Movies Picks

We have mentioned a lot of Hollywood box office successes and internationally recognized TV series. So we though to bring top 5 Arab movies picks.

The Night (Al-Lail)

This 1993 Syrian film by director Mohammad Malas is one of the greatest Syrian cinematic makes of its time. great Syrian film. The movie is about the Syrian border town of Quneitra in the Golan Heights. A city devastated by the Israeli invasion in 1967 and remains in ruins. The movie takes you on three phases of Syrian history, their fight for independence from the French in 1930s, the 1984 war with Israel, and modern day Syria (Pre-2011).

The Blue Elephant

One of the greatest Arab production psychological thriller, The Blue Elephant was directed by Marwan Hamed in 2014. It takes along a mysterious series of events after a worn-out psychiatrist is appointed to treat a former friend, in specific, the brother of a former lover. The psychiatrist still grieving from the death of his wife and kid have spent his past 5 years drinking, doing drugs and gambling, and he can not tell what is real anymore.

(Where Do We Go Now?) Hala’ La Wein?

This is a story of a small and isolated Lebanese village, inhabited by both Muslims and Christians midst the Lebanese Civil War. The village, which is only reachable by a small wooden bridge, is kept peaceful and held back from joining the civil war by its women. The women decide to do whatever it takes to keep their peaceful town from seeing neighbors and family at war with each other.

West Beirut

A favorite among Arab movies, this old movie has become a Lebanese classic. This 1998 masterpiece follows a young boy named Tarek he explores Beirut, after it was split into two in April 1975. Tarek’s best friend Omar get a Super 8 handheld camera and they go on a crazy-man’s journey to prepare the film. The whole country comes crashing down around Muslim Tarek just as he start to have feeling for Christian May.

Caramel

Written, directed and starring the lovely Nadine Labaki, this 2007 Lebanese chick flick revolves around the lives of five Lebanese women. The women, being normal women, going through what typical women might go through, come of age, explore sexuality, find love, religion, and have complicated relationships. Caramel puts Lebanon’s political problems aside for a minute, and goes into some of the country’s social issues.

You Might Also Like