As the author of Beirut Knights (a collection of short stories about real-life Lebanese dating disasters) and someone who gave a TEDx talk about being single in Lebanon, I have been keenly awaiting the release of Single, Married, Divorce (yalla3a2belkon). This Lebanese film is written and produced by Nidal Arakji who is also the woman behind Blind Intersections (Ossit Sawani) which represented Lebanon at the Oscars, won BEST LEBANESE FEATURE FILM for 2013 and deservedly did very well on the international film festival circuit. While Blind Intersections is a powerfully gritty drama that uncovers the dark side of society, Single, Married, Divorce is a comedy that focuses on relationships.

Directed by Elie Khalife, the film stars Darine Hamze, Nada Abou Farhat, Nibal Arakji, Marwa Khalil, Julia Kassar, Badih Abou Chacra, Mario Bassil, Aiman Kaissouni, Yara Abi Haidar and Charbel Ziade.

The official synopsis nicely summarizes the main plot: "Yasmina, Taleen, Layan and Zina are four successful ladies approaching their 40s. They are smart, funny, interesting, yet, the four of them are still single! Even though they are very different in their way of thinking, they are very good friends, and they meet every Sunday at the Sporting Club to share the status of their love life."

The performances convincing and really come alive. The settings and direction are spot on. The script ensures the film has its fair share of laughs and drama. All in all it's a decent effort to strike a balance between crowd pleasing entertainment and more thought-provoking glimpses into sociocultural issues. Elie Khalife describes the Lebanese film industry as "a mixture of mainstream movies that attract the Lebanese audience and auteur films that are acclaimed at international festivals." And this film lies between these two poles. It also definitely calls into question whether proper relationships founded on genuine love, morals and respect actually exist.

The ending however plays it safe rather than makes an unexpected statement. And while the four women are different, meaning that many single women will see themselves in one of the characters, not all single women will be able to relate. Perhaps it's difficult for one film to reflect every type of single woman. But everyone of us will be able to relate to certain elements in the film.

Nibal Arakji explains, “We all have been in love, felt happy, betrayed, or even cheated on … (It) is a situation that every single person has been through. This is why this movie will touch each and every person in the audience." Nada Abou Farhat adds that the script and film bring up “a vast issue that is close to Lebanon’s society and particularly its youth. The film tackles these issues directly and in a funny manner, showcasing women’s independence and strength and what they endure to ensure the success of their relationships. [...] The public will identify with this cute comedy, which brings together a talented group of actors.”

Single, Married, Divorced is worth watching. And it's in cinemas now.

Watch the teasers:

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is trying to leave its mark on the film industry and a fun road trip film called From A to B shows that certain filmmakers have real potential. In From A to B, " Three estranged childhood friends (Omar, Ramy, Jay), travel on a road trip from Abu Dhabi to Beirut in memory of their lost friend. If what happens en route doesn't make them crazy, it might just bring them closer. "

Omar (Fadi Rifaai) is Syrian, Ramy (Shadi Alfons) is Egyptian and Yousef (standup comedian Fahad Al Butairi) is Saudi. The friend they lost, Hady, is Lebanese and was killed during the 2006 bombings in Beirut. Ironically Beirut only appears very briefly at the very end (with an obligatory party scene nonetheless). After all, this is not a film about the destination. It's a film about the actual journey which takes these friends through Saudi Arabia, Jordan with a stop off at Petra and war-torn Syria, where they encounter factions from both sides of the conflict. It's also a journey of self-discovery.

Since this is an Emirati film, you're probably wondering why none of the main characters hail from the emirates. Director Ali Mostafa has a clear answer: " Instead of having Emiratis as protagonists, I thought: Why don’t I depict Arab nationalities who grew up in Abu Dhabi? Also, they are Western-educated Arabs who went to an American school. I wanted to make something that was very relatable for the Arab world, but at the same time also for the West, who could watch these guys and understand them. "

Despite uneven pacing at some instances, the film is fresh and entertaining. It presents young Arabs as cosmopolitan citizens of the world who have dreams and interests. And it also pokes fun at Arab stereotypes we're all familiar with such as the overprotective mother, the son who's still financially dependent on the father and the guy who married in his early twenties. The soundtrack truly captures the mood and features great songs by Amr Diab, Mashrou’ Leila, JadaL, Yasmine Hamdan and Souad Massi. Beyond the laughs and main theme of friendship, the film subtly explores events that have rocked the Arab world and things that still continue to shake the foundations of the Middle East. These rather heavy topics are all coated with a touch of lightness. From A to B is a pleasant surprise.

Our rating: 8 Steps out of 10.

Watch the trailer here: