Caramel delightfully weaves together a comedy about the daily lives of five Lebanese women. Each woman has a romantic problem and they play out their dramas against the backdrop of Layal’s (Nadine Labaki) Beirut beauty salon. Will one resolve a relationship with a married man, will another marry while trying to cover up her past, how will one cope with ageing and will there be girl on girl action between two of them The film is Nadine Labaki’s debut as writer and director, fresh from music videos she delivers a confident, funny film.

This mildly feminist movie shows that women can have hopes and desires and some of these can be fulfilled even in Beirut, (which as Rob Mackie of the Guardian remarks practically has war-torn as part of its address), and despite the constraints on personal freedom set by an authoritarian government. Coaxing surprising performances from a largely non-professional cast, Labaki has created a much-admired romantic comedy gem.

Caramel is a feisty, funny and rather rude look at life. Rob Mackie, The Guardian

Shot in lush golden browns by Yves Sehnaoui, Caramel is the farthest thing from a grim Middle East tabloid film like The Kite Runner it respects beauty and the bafflements of love. Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

There’s more cheek than chic in this Frenchified bit of fluff, but also something deeper and more poignant about its dilemmas Labaki treats her characters with wistful tenderness, raucous practicality. Ella Taylor, Village Voice