Arzé 2024

Soufflé the Dog is a constant presence in Arzé’s life, a dedicated single mother in Beirut who tirelessly bakes sfiha pies to keep a steady trickle of income. She dreams of buying a scooter for Kinan, her son, so he can help with the deliveries and share in the effort to keep their small world moving. Yet the down payment remains out of reach, and she finds herself pitched between pride and practicality as she tries to convince her sister to lend a hand. Layla, however, sees the bracelet she holds as a priceless link to a hope she clings to—Zain, an absent figure she believes will return one day. When Layla refuses, Arzé makes a desperate choice, stealing and pawning the bracelet to secure a path toward a better future for Kinan.

On the eve of [Kinan]’s eighteenth birthday, Arzé presents him with the scooter he has long hoped for. [Kinan] confides in his girlfriend Yasmine that he plans to emigrate to Europe in search of a brighter future and to reconnect with a father figure he believes might be there. [Yasmine] encourages him to stay, urging him to participate in the ongoing protests rather than flee, adding a sharp tension to their relationship. After a festive birthday with friends, the scooter is suddenly stolen, and the betrayal of the moment weighs heavily on both mother and son. The police offer little help when they report the loss, and that night Arzé notices [Layla] deep in sorrow, dancing alone in a wedding dress—an image that underscores the fragility of their family ties.

Driven to recover what was taken, Arzé and [Kinan] set out across Beirut in a determined pursuit. Their initial lead sends them from the truck of a Greek Orthodox man to the Sunni quarter, and then through a maze of neighborhoods—Shia, Maronite, and Palestinian streets—each stop revealing new clues. Along the way, Arzé relies on her wits and shifts her appearance with the aid of her friend, Dina, who grows increasingly exasperated by the search but supports her cause with care. Arzé also uses the offer of free pies to win trust and information from strangers they meet on the road, turning small acts of kindness into crucial breadcrumbs.

As the chase unfolds, [Kinan] learns that [Yasmine] is departing for Europe, a revelation that sparks anger and a storm of emotions in him as she departs. [Layla] steps in to comfort him, accepting his wish to leave but worrying about the perilous sea route he contemplates. The tension between mother and son grows as they argue about the scooter’s fate and what the future holds for both of them. In a painful moment, Arzé admits she stole the bracelet, a confession that leaves both sisters in tears. The search resumes with renewed urgency, and when [Kinan] finally reports that [Layla] has gone missing, the trio discovers her in a ruined apartment, briefly lost in fantasies about Zain, before they reconcile and return home.

With the truth about Zain finally clarified—that he was kidnapped and reportedly died in a Syrian prison years ago—Arzé faces the hard choice of how much to reveal to Layla and when. This revelation casts new light on the sisters’ bond and on Arzé’s own decisions, shaping how they navigate their immediate future. In the meantime, [Kinan] and [Yasmine] reaffirm their love even as friends offer a lead about the scooter’s whereabouts. A reluctant Arzé, urged by the memory of Layla’s fragile strength, discovers a renewed resolve to fix what’s broken. They head toward the scrapyard together, with [Kinan] by her side, and the final stretch of their journey takes them through Beirut’s streets as they outsmart the seller and reclaim the scooter. The moment arrives with a mix of relief and joy as they lock the owner away and ride home, hands steady on the handlebars and hearts light with the promise of a new beginning.