Once Upon a Time in the Middle East

Once Upon a Time in the Middle East

Eat well, stay alive.

Rating

No ratings yet

Release Date

8/8/2026

Runtime

141 mins

Genres

Overview

Seeking a fresh start, chef Xu Fu travels to the Middle East to support his family and repay his debts. Alongside restaurant manager Ma Junsheng, he transforms the struggling Dragon Restaurant into a thriving business. But when war engulfs the city, their hard-won success is shattered and the restaurant becomes a refuge for those caught in the conflict. As danger closes in, Xu Fu must risk everything to protect his newfound community and preserve a small beacon of hope amid the devastation.

Status

Released

Original Language

Chinese

Budget

-

Revenue

$305,600,000

Homepage

-
Backdrop Image

How It Feels

Read from this film's synopsis, keywords and credits, and used to work out what it sits beside.

A quietly human drama about two men building something meaningful in an increasingly unstable place, watching it all become precarious when conflict arrives. The film finds dignity and resilience in small acts of creation amid chaos.

Mood

MelancholicDefiantTense

Themes

SurvivalFriendshipAmbitionWarComing apart

Tone

Earnest

Pacing

Slow-burn

Look

NaturalisticDocumentary-like

Structure

Linear

Heads up

Graphic violence

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