For a Happy Life - Cinéma Arabe

In total secrecy, seventeen-year-old Amel has been together with Mashir - the older brother of her school friend Sima - for over a year. Although Amel is always welcome at the Pakistani family, she and Mashir are well aware of the fact that his parents would never approve of a relationship with a non-Pakistani girl. However, their love overrules their doubts about the future. Everything changes when Sima and Mashir’s cousin Noor is moving to Brussels and the couple comes face to face with the future.

In this well-written and -acted drama the two lovers are faced with an impossible choice: should they stay faithful to their love, or be loyal to family, tradition and friendship? Amel’s emotional turmoil has unexpected and dramatic consequences.

Wed 8 May and Sun 12 May with short-film:
Unforgettable memory of a friend
Wissam Charaf | France, Lebanon | 2018 | drama | 27 min. | Arabic spoken – English subtitles
Chadi is the shortest, but also the smartest kid in his class. He is secretly in love with Raya. When he finds out that his talents score him points with her, he doesn’t hesitate for a second. But the question is, does crime pay? This nostalgic short full of ‘80s hits looks back on the bruises that puberty inflicts on us.