The modern Arab rom-com genre has officially made its mark.
Honeymoonish is the first Arab film to reach number one on Netflix's weekly Top 10 chart of the most-watched non-English TV films, accumulating 14 million views in its second week of release.
It is a surprising and exciting result for the cast, crew and particularly for Lebanese director Elie El Semaan, considering it is his first film.
“I'm very happy,” El Semaan tells The National. “The feedback we were getting from day one was bigger than I expected, to be honest. And not only from the Gulf region but from all over the world.”
The film has been on Netflix’s Top 10 list in more than 70 countries, including across the Middle East, finding audiences as far away as Canada, Sweden and Nigeria.
Starring Kuwaiti actor Mahmoud Boushahri and Egyptian actress Nour Al Ghandour, Honeymoonish depicts their characters entering a marriage under false pretences.
Hamad (Boushahri), ambitious but cynical and under familial pressure to marry, and Noor (Al Ghandour), seeking revenge on her ex, hastily tie the knot.
As they navigate their new relationship, a shocking revelation emerges: they may be considered “milk siblings” under Islamic law due to a shared nursing caregiver. With their feelings growing for each other, Hamad struggles to keep this secret from Noor while his family investigates.
El Semaan believes the film's light fairytale-esque element, injected with a slapstick brand of humour, is what resonates with audiences, especially given what is happening around the world at the moment.
“With everything the world is going through right now and with the style of drama that we're seeing on TV and on platforms in the Middle East at the moment, it's all action and killing and kidnapping,” he says.
“I think people are tired of that because we're seeing a lot of it in real life anyway. I personally feel the Middle East and the world in general needs this genre at the moment.”
Rom-coms have always enjoyed universal appeal. Whether it's due to the stress-free viewing experience, charismatic leads or the absurd scenarios characters find themselves in, the genre has been an integral part of cultural experiences.
Honeymoonish attempts to take the ingredients that have made the modern rom-com, from Pretty Woman to Anyone But You, into such staple viewing – but with an Arab twist.
“One of the rules of rom-coms [is that] it cannot be 100 per cent logical, because then it wouldn’t be a romantic comedy,” El Semaan says.
“In rom-coms, people will take anything you give them and they will enjoy it, they will believe it because it feels good, it feels light and puts the characters in a situation where it makes it funny.”
Honeymoonish uses several tropes of the genre, such as fake relationships, going from enemies to lovers and the idea of a major lie as a central plotline. However, El Semaan also emphasises that while the genre does lean towards stretching what is plausible, the story also needs to be grounded in some recognisable logic.
“You do have to make it logical too,” he says. “You do have to make it in a way where people don't say, how in the world did that happen? That can never happen. So it's a bit of a magic and fairytale with real-life stuff.”
When the poster and trailer for the film were released, there was some backlash online, particularly on social media over the suggestive nature of the film, including a scenario where Noor accidentally takes a Viagra pill.
For El Semaan, these criticisms come from a wider culture of assumptions, where online platforms make it easy for people to judge and comment on a piece of content before completely experiencing it.
“We had preconceptions and prejudgments based on our poster when it first came out. I think that's something very dangerous in life,” he says.
“When you judge something even before you see it, it just ruins the whole thing. You can't force people to like things. It's taste, people can enjoy it or people cannot enjoy it. It's a genre that's there.”
Despite the initial backlash, the director maintains that Honeymoonish’s sole purpose as a film is to entertain audiences and inspire a sense of magic in their lives.
“We all are rom-com fans deep down inside, even though sometimes we try to deny it,” he says.
“After a long, busy day you want that film where you sit down and not think and just enjoy the moment and smile and laugh. That's what this film is.”
Honeymoonish is now streaming on Netflix
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Key Points
- Protests against President Omar Al Bashir enter their sixth day
- Reports of President Bashir's resignation and arrests of senior government officials
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
All Blacks line-up for third Test
J Barrett; I Dagg, A Lienert-Brown, N Laumape, J Savea; B Barrett, A Smith; J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, S Cane, K Read (capt).
Replacements: N Harris, W Crockett, C Faumuina, S Barrett, A Savea, TJ Perenara, A Cruden, M Fekitoa.
RACE CARD
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Al Ain Mile Group 3 (PA) Dh350,000 1,600m
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Amith's selections:
5pm: AF Sail
5.30pm: Dahawi
6pm: Taajer
6.30pm: Pharitz Oubai
7pm: Winked
7.30pm: Shahm
8pm: Raniah
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Southampton 0
Manchester City 1 (Sterling 16')
Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
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MADAME%20WEB
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
