Naman Shrestha
Elie Semaan’s feature directorial debut, Netflix’s ‘Honeymoonish,’ is a Kuwaiti romantic comedy film that focuses on the relationship between a newly married couple — Noor and Hamad. When they go on their honeymoon, the couple realizes they have entirely different tastes and preferences. However, through their misunderstandings and uncovering of unexpected truths, they form an unlikely bond and discover love for one another.
Originally titled ‘Shahr Zii Aleasal,’ the lighthearted movie is driven by compelling performances of Nour Al Ghandour, Mahmoud Boushahri, and Faisal Almezel and takes one on an emotional yet relatable journey through its narrative while keeping it interesting through its visuals and settings, ranging from a swanky resort to dense forest. The film’s nuanced take on the culture of the Arab world, coupled with its varied backdrops, provoke many viewers to question whether it was shot on location or elsewhere.
Where Was Honeymoonish Filmed?
The production of ‘Honeymoonish’ took place around mid-2023 in Lebanon, with a slice of the film also shot in Kuwait. In particular, principal photography commenced in July 2o23, and continued for a few weeks before wrapping by August 20 of the same year. Commemorating the conclusion of the shooting of the Netflix film, director Elie Semaan shared a few words of praise and gratitude for the entire cast and crew for giving their best to ensure the visual translation of the love story wasn’t marred by any significant hindrances. Sharing a picture from the last day on the set, the filmmaker wrote, “The end of a beautiful project… Thank you to each and every person who was a part of this… But above all, I want to thank God!”
Lebanon
The cast and crew of ‘Honeymoonish’ traveled all the way to Lebanon to tape the lighthearted romantic comedy. Most of the shooting took place in Beirut and other areas in the country as the story of Noor and Hamad’s life and their journey post-marriage unfolds across the Republic of Lebanon. In a conversation with BroadcastPro Middle East, the director revealed that “it is the first Kuwaiti movie to be filmed in Lebanon.” He added, “I think people all over the region will enjoy it, not just in the Gulf! This film is special because it has the high international standard that Netflix always offers and also Eagle Films in Lebanon were very cautious to maintain.”
While the story touches upon the cultural intricacies that prevail in the Arab world, the Beirut-born director encountered a few challenges regarding the artistic subtleties due to the diverse cast and crew members. To deal with that, he even had a Kuwaiti native present during the shoot. “One of the most difficult things for me as the director was the different dialects — Lebanese and Kuwaiti Arabic. That’s why I had a Kuwaiti on set with me who could explain different things. It was very diverse,” El Semaan told Arab News.
Aside from being primarily taped in Lebanon’s capital city, a few sequences were shot in the Cedars of God. A 2-hour drive from Beirut, the forest reserve is in the Kadisha Valley of Bsharre in North Governorate and is covered with a blanket of magnificent cedar trees offering breathtaking views of the region’s natural beauty. Therefore, the production team chose the ancient grove, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as one of the shooting sites of the movie.
Kuwait City, Kuwait
A minor portion of ‘Honeymoonish’ was likely recorded in Kuwait City, the capital of the titular country. It is located on the southern edge of Jōn al Kuwayt, AKA Kuwait Bay, in the northwestern part of the Persian Gulf. Though it is not a major film production center yet, the city has served as a filming site for several movies and shows owing to its stunning landscape packed with desert and beaches and the availability of production facilities. Moreover, the fact that several cast and crew members of the Kuwaiti rom-com adventure, including the co-lead Mahmoud Boushahri (who plays Hamad), are Kuwait nationals also aided in the smooth execution of the production process.
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