Underplayed Gems

Solitaire (2016)

Solitaire poster
Original title
محبس
Directed by
Sophie Boutros
Genre
comedy, drama
Country
Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt
Runtime
1h 32m
Rating
7.1 of 10 from 9 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A Lebanese mother's anger toward Syrians after her brother's death in the war flares when her daughter wants to marry a Syrian man. The two families clash and laugh through awkward situations as they try to move past old wounds.

lightheartedtenderwarmbittersweetcomedichopefulfamily-centeredemotionally charged

What happens

Mahbas (Solitaire) is a Lebanese romantic, comedy movie directed by Sophie Boutros and produced by Nadia Eliewat; Both Boutros and Eliewat are the film writers. The film premiered in the Dubai International Film Festival in 2016 and released in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, UAE, Kuwait, and Palestine in 2017. The film revolves around the story of a Lebanese mother who has developed a deep hatred towards Syrians as she lost her brother to a tragic incident during the Lebanese-Syrian war. The memory of her brother's death still fresh, keeps her hatred ongoing to the point that when she finds out that her daughter's suitor and his family are Syrians, she is determined to stop the engagement. The film has a message of tolerance and forgiveness explicit in the two families comedic roller coaster ups and downs that eventually unravels the hatred in the end. Although the film targets the Lebanese and the Syrians, its message is applicable to other Arab neighbors and in general too. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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