Romantic Comedy · Feature Film · 90 min
A cinematic romantic comedy set between France, Romania and UAE, following Aida, a French-born Romanian woman who escapes her caretaker life and discovers love exactly in the world her family fears most.
Between migration, mothers, myths and Marina skyline lights, one woman learns to choose herself – and her love.
Story
After years of caring for her fragile mother in Romania, Aida finally moves to UAE to live her own life. She shares a modest flat with battle-tested expat Sorina, works in a luxury hotel under strict manager Ahmed, finds a cultural ally in Fatima, and comic chaos in Bogdan, a Romanian coworker secretly in love with her.
When Aida spills a welcome drink on the shoes of Karim, an elegant Emirati from an influential family, a cross-cultural love story begins. Between desert camps, Marina nights and hotel back corridors, the two navigate attraction, class differences and the weight of family expectations.
Zara, a glamorous influencer and Karim’s former flame, turns their romance into online spectacle. A viral clip, job instability and long-distance panic calls from Aida’s mother push her to the breaking point.
Convinced that love and reality cannot coexist, Aida books a flight home. At the airport, Karim steps out of his carefully scripted life and chooses her – not as an exotic fantasy, but as an equal partner.
Between migration, prejudice and luxury that is more Instagram than reality, the film follows her journey from „good daughter” to a woman who defines her own borders of love and home.
In the epilogue, Aida and Sorina run a cozy Romanian–Arab café in Dubai called “Habibi, But Make It European”.
Characters & audience
The film is built around a relatable protagonist and a circle of characters that mirror the tensions between Europe and the Gulf, family duty and self-determination.
French-born, Romanian roots, Dubai present. Aida is imperfect, funny, emotionally honest and constantly translating between languages and expectations.
The humor keeps it light; the reality of migration, caregiving and prejudice gives it weight. Aida’s dilemma – „Can I build a life without abandoning my mother and myself?” – is universal.
The film speaks to anyone who has ever felt split between countries, generations or expectations – and to anyone who has tried to love across those borders.
Themes
Habibi, But Make It European uses comedy and romance to explore deeper questions about migration, identity and how we look at each other across regions.
Dubai is globally iconic, yet here it is seen from the shared rooms of hotel staff, the staff bus at 5 AM, the WhatsApp calls home and the contrast between Instagram luxury and everyday hustle.
The skyline is a backdrop. The real story is in how people from different worlds share coffee, shifts, pay slips and dreams in its shadow.
Tone & positioning
The film is designed as a streaming-first, feel-good rom-com with a cinematic look and emotional depth.
Warm, witty, visually polished. Culture-clash comedy with an honest emotional core: quick dialogue, situational humor, grounded performances.
Narrative arc
A classic three-act structure built for emotional satisfaction – with clear room for continuation.
The title itself – “Habibi, But Make It European” – is a flexible brand for sequels, series extensions and themed specials built around migration and love.
Production snapshot
A compact, scalable production model aligned with international co-productions and streamer originals.
