Romance, drama and black humor intertwine in this series of anthologies developed by Egyptian screenwriter Azza Shalaby exploring love in the broad sense and relations near, with stories of Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Tunisia. The diversified collection and covering all genres includes eight short films made by some of the best Arab filmmakers in six different countries: Khairy Beshara (Egypt); Sandra Bassal (Egypt); Hany Abu Assad and Amira Diab (Palestine); Michel Kammoun (Lebanon); Mahmoud Sabbagh (Saudi Arabia); Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan (Saudi Arabia); Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisia) and Hicham Lasri (Morocco). It should be noted that among these directors, two had been appointed to the Oscars, namely Hany Abu Assad whose films Paradise Now And Omar had been appointed in 2006 and 2014 for the Oscar for the best film in a foreign language and Kaouther Ben Hania, whose film The man who had sold his skin had been appointed for the Oscar 2020 for the best international film.
Each of these eight films takes place on Valentine’s Day, each director telling a love story from his own point of view, but also in accordance with the mentality and culture of his own country.
“The events of each story take place on Valentine’s Day, a period that challenges the main characters to express love, to understand it and to live it in unique situations that are accompanied by unexpected twists and turns. The public is captivated by the emotions he feels, the familiar decorations and the unparalleled talents of the actors and directors, ”said a Netflix press release.
From Egypt, director Khairy Beshara had the feeling of paying tribute to the Fahrenheit 451 by François Truffaut (1966) while bringing him back from a new angle. Comment National Mourning Day in Mexicohe stressed that he likes to make films that transcend time and space, and which are not linked to concrete reality. “The characters wander in the dystopian space of a frightening and inhuman society, where Valentine’s Day is prohibited and those who celebrate it are punished insofar as the red color is taboo and the books, songs or films that express love are prohibited,” he said.
The Egyptian actor ensures Yassin in ” Day of national mourning in Mexico ”
In its history, O’frèrethe talented Egyptian director Sandra Bassal, uses a Downy character to bring together a couple in love. Not only does she highlight inclusion, diversity and acceptance in a love story, but she also fascinates the public with an exciting plot where a village chief cancels her daughter’s engagement when her lucky holder disappears because he thinks that it is a bad omen.
Palestinian directors Hany Abu Assad and Amira Diab co-produced the episode entitled Kazozwhich takes place in the middle of two apparently opposite events: marriage and funeral.
“A marriage celebrates the future, a burial commemorates the past. But in reality, the two serve the present and respond to an existential need for socialization. Kazoz is the celebration of mourning together in loss and dance together in joy, “they said.
As for Tunisian Ben Hania, she focused her film on the commercial aspects of this party. “Valentine’s Day is a party that requires expenses, and money is necessarily proof par excellence of love. Without the penny, our hero must find a way to buy a gift for his wife, ”she explains.
In Nightness and lamb chopsthe director accompanies the owner of a slaughterhouse who, in the midst of a financial crisis and having difficulty reaching both ends, will do the impossible, to the point of going almost crazy, to give her wife a perfect Valentine’s Day, specifies Netflix in a press release.
Abdelhamid Bouchnak in “Nightness and lamb chops”
In his film, the Lebanese director Michel Kammoun uses symbolism to tell how much the idea of falling in love is desirable, through an adventure in Russian mountains that the main character, Sami, continues while trying to deliver a gift from Valentine’s Day to one of his customers.
“There is no simple answer, only subjective opinions and shared stories about what love is. This is what I wanted to create in The big red heartan indomitable, enormous and unusual gift for Valentine’s Day which becomes the alter ego of love itself. The metaphor of love in all its greatness, “said Michel Kammoun.
Moroccan director Hicham Lasri said: “My film, Sidi Valentinadopts the codes of black comedy to play ironically with this idea of a world that has accommodated illegal immobility that Valentine’s Day tint of red.
Egyptian actor Ahmed Ezz in “O’frère”
The series Love, life, etc … will be available, from March 10, 2022 on Netflix, in 190 countries and will be subtitled in 33 languages and doubled in 5 languages.
The complete list of episodes:
- National Mourning Day in Mexicowritten by Nura Elsheikh and directed by: Khairy Beshara, with in the main roles ensuring Yassin, Nadah El Shazly, Aly Sobhy and Nura Cheichaa.
- The big red heartwritten and directed by Michel Kammoun, with in the main roles Elie Njeim, Fadi Abi Samra, Rita Hayek, Alain Saadeh, Mohamad Akil and Issam Bou Khaled.
- Sidi Valentinwritten and directed by Hicham Lasri, with in the main roles Lotfi, Nasser Akabab and Fatima Zahraa.
- Kazozwritten by Amira Diab and co -breaded by Amira Diab and Hany Abu Assad, with in the main roles Amer Hlehel, Shaden Kanboura, Samer Bisharat, Samah Mahmoud and Manal Awad.
- Pépin lovewritten and directed by: Mahmoud Sabbagh, with in the main roles Dhay Alhelaly, Sami Hanafy, Oum Kalthoum Sara Brad and Ismail Alhassan.
- Al-A’Shaco -written by Mohamed Al Hamoud and Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan and produced by the latter, with in the main roles Mishal Almutairi and Reem Habib.
- Nightness and lamb chopswritten and directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, with in the main roles Abdelhamid Bouchnak, Mourad Gharsalli, Nadim Cheikhrouha, Anissa Daoud, Fatma Felhi, Hela Ayed, Jihed Cherni and Slim Achour.
- O’frèrewritten by Rafik Morkos and directed by Sandra Bassal, with in the main roles Ahmed Ezz, passing Shawky, Salah Abdallah and Adham Hossam.
Neïla Driss
