ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDDLE EAST

A Well Go USA Entertainment Release

Directed by: Wen Muye
Written by: Wen Muye, Lang Qunli and Zhong Wei
Executive Produced by: Ning Hao

Starring: Shen Teng, Jiang Qiming, Omar Sherif, Li Zhiting and Sherif Sobhy

Runtime: 141 minutes
Country: China
Languages: Mandarin, Arabic and English with English Subtitles
Genre: Drama / War
Release Date: October 9, 2026
Rating: Not Yet Rated

IN THEATRES ACROSS THE U.S. AND CANADA – OCTOBER 9, 2026

Director: Wen Muye
Starring: Shen Teng, Jiang Qiming, Omar Sherif, Aarif Rahman, Sherif Sabry, Ahmed Salim, Faruk Muhammad, Russell Shealy
Genre: Drama, War
Runtime: 140 mins
User Rating: ★ 9.1

Data provided by The MovieDB

War is always a losing situation, and the most vulnerable are usually the ones who pay the biggest price. Families are torn apart, lives are destroyed, and the human cost is always enormous.

Director Wen Muye, who also co-wrote the film with Lang Qunli and Zhong Wei, has created an uneasy and emotionally powerful film with ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDDLE EAST. This is not an easy movie to watch, but sometimes those are the movies that stay with you the longest.

One of China’s biggest stars, Shen Teng, leads the acclaimed international box-office sensation as Xu Fu, a chef who travels to the Middle East hoping for a fresh start. Looking to support his family and repay his debts, Xu Fu joins forces with restaurant manager Ma Junsheng (Jiang Qiming) and helps transform the struggling Dragon Restaurant into a thriving business.

But just as they begin to find success, war engulfs the city. Everything they have worked for is suddenly shattered, and the restaurant becomes a refuge for people caught in the middle of the conflict. With danger closing in, Xu Fu must risk everything to protect his newfound community and preserve a small beacon of hope in the middle of devastation.

Shen Teng is masterful as Xu Fu. Everything he feels on screen seems to invade the viewer’s subconscious. Watching him begin the film with so much hope, only to see everything he has built and everything he cares about slowly taken away, really hits you in the feels.

Xu Fu finds solace in his cooking, and perhaps it becomes his only escape from the chaos surrounding him—not to mention the war he finds himself right smack dab in the middle of.

The other cast members are equally invested in their characters. Jiang Qiming, who plays Ma Junsheng, brings an upbeat personality to the film. His character tries to keep the peace with the American soldiers, translates for Xu Fu, and attempts to guide him through the pitfalls of being a stranger in a strange country.

Another standout is Omar Sherif, who plays Seif. Seif has lost his parents to war and sees the Americans as the enemy. However, an incident eventually opens his eyes to the reality of war and forces him to question what he believes about the people on the other side of the conflict.

The movie also mixes in some delicious-looking dishes and mild comedy throughout, which provides a welcome release from the dread and violence that is constantly building around the characters. These lighter moments are important because they remind us that these are still people trying to live their lives, even while the world around them is falling apart.

Director Wen Muye does not shy away from the brutality of war, and the film makes sure to let you know that no one is safe.

There were so many moments throughout the movie when I caught myself wiping tears away from my eyes. And although this is a movie, knowing that this kind of violence happens in the real world can make some of the scenes especially difficult to watch.

Children are used as pawns and are weaponized by those fighting the war. Xu Fu and Ma Junsheng try to help them, but when they themselves become prisoners of war, they are fighting what seems like a losing battle.

The one saving grace for these prisoners is their cooking ability, which they eventually pass on to their protégé, Seif. In a movie filled with violence, destruction, and despair, cooking becomes something more than simply preparing food. It becomes a way of connecting with other people, preserving humanity, and passing something positive on to the next generation.

What I appreciated most about Once Upon a Time in the Middle East is that Wen Muye doesn’t simply pick a side and turn the movie into a straightforward good-versus-evil story. Instead, he shows how war can change people and how friends can become enemies in an instant.

War doesn’t just destroy buildings and lives. It changes the people caught inside it.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDDLE EAST is a powerful anti-war film that highlights how children can be used as “warriors” and how hope and positivity can slowly disappear when people are surrounded by violence.

This is a very honest look at war through the eyes of a humble chef. It is heartbreaking, emotional, and at times extremely difficult to watch, but there is also a sense of humanity running through the entire film.

Keep the tissues handy. This is one that will definitely get the waterworks running.