🎥 Spring came on laughing, only to find me melancholic. With a title inspired by Salah Jahin’s poem, Dakhal Al Rabie Yadhak, or Spring Came on Laughing, masterfully portrays the tumultuousness of life — its sorrows, contradictions, and ironies — across the many months of the year. The film, which marks writer and director Noha Adel’s feature debut, was the recipient of four awards at the 2024 Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), garnering widespread acclaim from both audiences and critics alike.

The film encompasses four distinct stories — the first taking place in the month of June, featuring an elderly woman, her divorced daughter, her neighbor, and his emigrant son. Another story takes place in May, where a group of middle-aged friends are celebrating one of their birthdays. The third in April, which centers on a women’s beauty salon and its many workers and patrons. The fourth and final story takes us back to March, with a bride, her mother, and her friends. That is all we can share about the plot for now without spoilers.

Dialogue is the pillar upon which this film stands. Less scripted and more so improvised in feeling, the four narratives present a brief glimpse into the lives of our female protagonists. The viewer doesn’t know much about their past beyond what is told, though that is sufficient to form a well-rounded idea of their lives, their social classes, and their struggles. Herein lies the film’s beauty, which enables the viewer, during these fleeting moments, to empathize with these characters as if they’re old friends and family.

The film grants the viewer a front-row seat into the lives of these women. For each and every character, these moments represent a pivotal turning point. We watch as drama unfolds, not able to look away for a single second. All stories are told during Spring, which — contrary to the bright colors that have come to be associated with the season — represents a time when, for these women, relationships are shattered.

All four stories are complemented by the warm tunes of Abdel Halim Hafez, Laila Murad, Sabah, Shadia, and Fairuz. These songs — which we’d argue can be regarded as protagonists themselves — lend the women and their stories a theatrical and emotional element. All the stories told are ones one may consider mundane — a daily occurrence; conflicts, misunderstandings, and fights that evolve into permanent feuds. The film stars unfamiliar faces, and in doing so, adds to its realism, resulting in a series of raw and refreshing performances.

Spring came on laughing is the cinematic equivalent of a soothing breeze, one that offers cinephiles a break from repetitive, convoluted tales, in their stead offering realistic commentary on life — often harsh, absurd, and at times, dreamy.

WHERE TO WATCH- The film is currently screening daily at Zawya, with a discussion with the filmmakers, moderated by Egyptian director Ahmed Abdallah, set to take place following the 7pm screening tomorrow. You can find the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 1:14).

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