Expat Movies Vol. 2

“And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.”  - Khalil Gibran

It is valentine’s week and as a continuation of our Expat Movies series, we have romantic expat love stories that most of us can relate to at least at some point in our expat life.

Whether you are far away from your loved one, still searching for the right one or just not into the whole V-day spirit, curling up with a good movie no matter where you are in the world is enough to make an evening out of it. After all, Valentines isn’t an occasion just for lovers, but for every kind of love we experience in our lives.

To Rome With Love (2012)

A story of love in a foreign land, Woody Allen’s “To Rome With Love” is told in four separate stories about of different kinds of love in Rome. The primary story narrates the life of an American expat architect living in Rome with his girlfriend and how he falls in love with his girlfriend’s visiting friend as he shows her around the beautiful ancient city of Rome. The film’s primary theme of confusion, neurosis, love and estrangement are Woody Allen’s favourites and the projection of Rome through these stories is just as captivating as the characters of the film.

Going The Distance (2010)

A film about long distance relationships and the sacrifices and compromises one makes in order to keep a relationship alive. This film stars Drew Barrymore and her then-fiancé, Justin Long. Inspired by their real life long distance relationship, it tells the story of two people who literally go the distance for the love of their lives.

Before Series (1995/2004/2013)

The “Before Series” also known as 3 separate films, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight, follows the love story of an American tourist and a French girl who met in a train to Vienna and subsequently fall in and out of love over the course of their lives. In Before Sunrise, we see them as young people starting to fall in love in a foreign place riding on a strong connection they feel almost immediately. In Before Sunset, we see them 9 years after they first met both at different parts of their lives and in Before Midnight we see them as an expat couple living in Paris with 2 young daughters. Later on, their relationship starts to unravel during their trip to Greece.

Here we see not just one part of falling in love, but the distance and the disintegration of love as well. We not only see these two characters grow as lovers, but also as people. We see their point of views and ideals change as they mature along the course of these three films. This lovely and well written series can be enjoyed by anyone, as we can all relate to at least one of the 3 stages of this couple’s journey in life.

Mamma Mia (2008)

The film version of the celebrated Broadway musical, Mamma Mia is set in the beautiful island of Greece and tells the story of the rediscovery of love and identity. An American girl raised in Greece by her mother without a father finds herself at a crossroad when she is about to marry. Upon realizing that there is no one to walk her down the aisle, the story sets off with her finding the great loves of her mother’s life and tries to figure out who of these 3 men is her real father. Narrated also in song through the music of ABBA, Mamma Mia is a romance and family film, but also, it is about finding your identity and accepting yourself even without knowing your origins. 

Cairo Time (2009)

An unexpected love affair of two people, from different cultures in a beautiful foreign land; is that not the perfect romanticized expat love story? The film tells the story of a woman visiting her expat husband in Egypt and ended up getting stuck with a local friend and subsequently falls in love with him. Great love really comes when you least expect it.

The Ramen Girl (2008)

This tells the tale of an American Girl who found fulfilment, passion and love in Japan, all through a bowl of noodles. Abby (Brittany Murphy) travelled to Japan initially to be with her boyfriend but ends up being a Ramen apprentice and finds passion in mastering the art of making Ramen. This is a perfect story of how you can follow your dreams and love will still end up knocking on your doorstep no matter where you are in the world.

Casablanca (1942)

A classic film for Valentine’s Day, Casablanca is actually also an expat film. Set in Morocco during the time of World War II when Casablanca was Europe’s gateway (and also purgatory) to freedom away from the war to America. Rick, Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) is an American Expatriate who found himself face to face with the love of his life (Ingrid Bergman) after a long absence. A story about love lost, love rekindled and love that serves the greater good, Casablanca is one of the most celebrated films of all time.

Letters to Juliet (2010)

This is a film not only about finding love, but finding inspiration in life from love. The film tells the story of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) a young writer vacationing in Italy. There, she finds inspiration through a string of letters from lost lovers from 1957. She follows this love story and hopes to bring together two lost lovers. Along the way, she discovers that love is never really what you expect it to be.