Born on the same day, in the same Beirut hospital just minutes apart, Nino and Yasmina are a Lebanese couple destined to be in love. In director Cyril Aris’ debut magical-realist film, the universe itself pushes these lovers together, despite the intense hardships of living in contemporary Lebanon. Examining three decades of their love, and the couple’s often disparate personalities (he’s an optimist, she’s a pessimist who doesn’t want kids), A Sad and Beautiful world asks how couples can endure the normal challenges of life when the world is tearing itself apart. And yet, Aris’ film is not only funny, but it takes the viewer into otherworldly places and offers hope in a moment when that can be difficult to find.

Curated & presented in partnership with Mizna, SWANA Stories at MSPIFF presents bold and striking new films from North Africa, Southwest Asia, and the diaspora.