Cyril Aris
Cyril Aris | |
|---|---|
Aris in 2025 | |
| Occupation | Director |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Notable work | A Sad and Beautiful World |
Cyril Aris is a Lebanese director. He has directed feature films like A Sad and Beautiful World, as well as feature documentaries such as Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano.[1]
Career
Prior to working in film, Aris was a management consultant. He began working as a director with the mini-series, Beirut, I Love You, which aired from 2011–2012. In 2018, he premiered his first feature documentary, The Swing, at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and won several awards.[2]
Aris then worked on Mounia Akl's Costa Brava, Lebanon in 2021 and concurrently shot Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano, a documentary describing the process of shooting Akl's film amid the 2020 Beirut explosion.[3] His documentary was supported by the Sundance Institute, selected for competition at Karlovy Vary where it received a jury special mention, and showed in over 80 festivals around the world.[4]
Aris began writing the script for his debut feature, A Sad and Beautiful World, in 2019, based on his experiences of growing up and living in Lebanon; in it, Akl starred as the character Yasmina.[3] In 2025, it was entered into competition at the Red Sea International Film Festival and chosen as Lebanon's entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.[5][2] It also won the Audience Award at the Venice Film Festival in addition to playing at other film festivals around the world.[4]
References
- ^ Lodderhose, Diana (2025-12-07). "Cyril Aris, Hasan Akil & Tino Karam Explore Love Against Backdrop Of Lebanon's Periods Of "Turmoil" & "Vibrancy" — Red Sea Studio". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
- ^ a b Vivarelli, Nick (2025-09-26). "Oscars: Lebanon Chooses Cyril Aris' Tumultuous Romance 'A Sad and Beautiful World' for International Feature Race". Variety. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
- ^ a b Goodfellow, Melanie (2025-09-02). "Cyril Aris Explores Contradictions Of Life In Lebanon In 'A Sad & Beautiful World': "Every Generation Has Their Own Trauma" – Venice". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
- ^ a b Goodfellow, Melanie (2025-11-04). "75East Signs 'A Sad And Beautiful World' Director Cyril Aris". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
- ^ Saito, Stephen (2025-12-06). "Interview: Cyril Aris on "A Sad and Beautiful World"". The Moveable Fest. Retrieved 2025-12-22.