Cyril Aris’ “A Unhappy and Stunning World,” a Beirut-set love story which represented Lebanon within the Oscar race, has secured North American distribution with Watermelon Footage.
Represented internationally by Paradise Metropolis Gross sales, the film world premiered finally 12 months’s Venice Days on the Lido and gained the Folks’s Selection Award. It went on to play at greater than 30 festivals, together with the BFI London, Pink Sea and Palm Springs. The film marks the primary narrative characteristic by Aris, who beforehand helmed the documentaries “Dancing on the Fringe of a Volcano” and “The Swing.”
Spanning three a long time in Beirut towards the backdrop of its tumultuous historical past, the movie stars Mounia Akl (“Costa Brava, Lebanon”) as Yasmina, and Hasan Akil (“Reminiscence Field”) as Nino, two childhood sweethearts. After they reunite of their late 20s, they grapple with romance, harsh actuality and the timeless query of bringing youngsters into an unsure world amid the tragedies ravaging the nation.
“Cyril Aris’s movie completely floored us, we will’t wait to share this glorious gem with our increasing viewers within the U.S.,” mentioned Munir Atalla, Watermelon Footage’s head of manufacturing and acquisitions.
Paradise Metropolis Gross sales has additionally closed contemporary offers on the movie in Italy (Cineclub Internazionale), Sweden (Folkets Bio), Jap Europe (HBO), Brazil (Belas Artes Grupo), China (JL Movie Leisure) and Benelux (Paradiso Movies).
“A Unhappy and Stunning World” was produced by well-established Lebanese producer Georges Schoucair at Abbout Productions (“Lebanon”), and is co-produced by U.S. banner Range Rent (“Joyland”), alongside Reynard Movies in Germany. It’s co-produced with Sunnyland Movie, a member of ART and Saudi Arabia’s Pink Sea Fund.
Paradise Metropolis Gross sales beforehand offered the movie to France (UFO Distribution), Germany/Austria (Neue Visionen), Spain (ADSO Movies), Switzerland (Trigon Movie), Turkey (Bir Movie), MENA (Sunnyland), Taiwan (Sky Digi Leisure) and Airways (Skeye).
