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DUBAI: Saudi actress Fatima Al-Banawi’s film “Basma” is set to screen in Brazil on Thursday.

Al-Banawi shared the announcement on Instagram, posting the official poster, which revealed that the film will screen in Sao Paulo at Estudio Lamina, a local cultural center.

“Basma,” which premiered on Netflix in June, marks Al-Banawi’s debut as a feature film director. She also wrote the screenplay, contributed an original song to the soundtrack, and stars in the lead role.

The film follows a young Saudi woman who returns to her hometown of Jeddah after two years studying in the US, only to discover that her parents have divorced without telling her.

The story explores her emotional reckoning with the past, including her father’s mental illness and the impact it had on the family. The role of her father, Dr. Adly, is played by Yasir Al-Sasi.

As she reconnects with her family, Basma is distraught to learn that her beloved father has moved out — and worse, that most of the family are, at best, reluctant to visit him. Convinced that all he needs is the love and care of his loved ones, she decides to move in with him, defying the advice of her mother, Hind (Shaima), brother Waleed (Tared Sindi), and uncle Hamza (Mohammed Essam). But the reunion is far from smooth.

“The most important element was to create a believable, cohesive family. That was one of the main issues,” Al-Banawi previously told Arab News. “The second thing was that — although I recognize that a lot of amazing actors and actresses have (emerged in ������Ƶ) in the past couple of years — as a director, I wanted to see fresh faces. It’s beautiful to see these talents who weren’t given a chance before, or didn’t even see themselves taking this path. Honestly, this whole cast was a blessing.”

Al-Banawi first gained prominence for her role in the 2016 drama “Barakah Meets Barakah.” She also starred in the Egyptian Netflix series “Paranormal.”

In 2020, she directed her first short film, “Until We See Light.” That same year, she co-wrote, co-directed and starred in “Al-Shak,” a Shahid Original series, which she shot fully from home during the pandemic.

DUBAI: Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne are back in “Platonic,” and the first three episodes of season two prove that their non-romantic chemistry remains the show’s not-so-secret weapon. The pair’s easy banter and instinctive comic timing once again anchor a series that takes the madcap energy of season one and parlays it into a more nuanced, heartfelt exploration of adult friendship.

The sophomore season of the Apple TV+ series opens with a major update in Will’s (Rogen) life — an engagement to a woman Sylvia (Byrne) doesn’t have a connection with. It’s an awkward adjustment for both, as their once effortless dynamic is suddenly subject to the gravitational pull of a third party. The early episodes mine this setup for all its comic potential — from misguided attempts at bonding to not-so-subtle turf wars over who knows Will best, and a bachelor party that goes sideways quick. The jokes are bigger, the hijinks just as outrageous, but there’s an added undercurrent of mature self-awareness that keeps the series from depending on laughs alone.

Byrne’s Sylvia continues to be one of TV’s most relatable depictions of mid-life contradictions. She’s a housewife and mother, but still clinging to the “cool girl” identity she once wore so easily. Her adventures with Will allow her to sidestep the mundanity of domestic life, even if they occasionally leave her with more to clean up — figuratively and literally. Byrne plays her with the perfect mix of warmth, femininity and clownery. 

Rogen, meanwhile, tempers his trademark goofiness with shades of vulnerability. Will’s excitement over his engagement is genuine, but so is his anxiety over how it might change the friendship that’s been his emotional constant. His scenes with Byrne shimmer with an authenticity that makes their friendship feel lived-in, not manufactured for the camera.

Through it all, “Platonic” remains breezy, smart and devilishly funny. Season two doesn’t just retread the antics of its debut run — it builds on them, delivering sharper humor and a richer look at what it means to keep a friendship alive as life pulls you in different directions. If these first episodes are any indication, Rogen and Byrne’s love story — platonic though it is — might just be one of the best on TV.