Beirut, Never Again

Objects of War

2000

‘Objects of War’ is a series of testimonials on the Lebanese war. Each person chooses an object, ordinary or unusual, which serves as a starting point for his / her story. These testimonials while helping to create a collective memory, also show the impossibility of telling a single History of this war. Only fragments of this History are recounted here, held as truth by those expressing them. In ‘Objects of War’, the aim is not to reveal a truth but rather to gather and confront many diverse versions and discourses on the subject. ‘Objects of War’ started in 1999 assembling the testimonials of eleven persons. It was first shown in 2000 . It continued in 2003 with ‘Objects of War n°2’, recording seven additional testimonials. This time however, and since then, the recorded material is left unedited, shown in its integrity. The work of collecting and assembling these stories continued with ‘Objects of War n°3 & n°4’ in 2006 and ‘n°5 & 6’ in 2014.

Beirut, My City

1983

In July 1982, the Israeli army besieged Beirut. Four days earlier, Jocelyne Saab sees her house burn and 150 years of family existence go up in smoke. She then takes refuge in questioning: when did this all begin? How did the Beirut people live the siege? Each place will then become a story and each name a memory.

Beyrouth, Le Dialogue Des Ruines

1993

Architecture in Beirut was the second greatest victim of the civil war, with pages of ancient and modern history erased by the end of the conflict. This documentary interviews citizens calling for a reconstruction plan that would preserve Beirut’s spirit of culture and openness.

Hezbollah: The Chronicle of a Return

1998

Documentary tracing Hezbollah’s emergence in southern Lebanon after years of Israeli occupation, focusing on its social base, resistance activities, and the return of displaced villagers.

July Trip

2006

"When this last war broke out, I was faraway in Paris. I had but one idea: to return to Beirut as quickly as possible and to begin shooting a film, for historical moments were taking place. This film became indispensible: to film so that history would cease repeating itself and to build up a picture library for future generations. I never understood why so few films were made during the Lebanese Civil War. Apart from the odd film, nothing remains from that time. The war surely merited more attention." (Waël Noureddine)

Incendies

2010

A mother's last wishes send twins Jeanne and Simon on a journey to Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's acclaimed play, Incendies tells the powerful and moving tale of two young adults' voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars and enduring love.

The Razor's Edge

1985

Samar, a child of the war, finds relief from the chaos around her through Egyptian movies she watches on television. Karim, an artist in retreat from life, remains in his apartment in war-torn West Beirut, confident that he is safe in his familiar neighborhood. An unlikely bond is formed between the two as they face the devastating civil war.

Perhaps Today...

2017

Oum Karim, a 60-year-old Beiruti lady, is used to preparing Lahm Bi Ajin (Lebanese ham pie) once per week.

West Beirut

1998

In 1975, the long slog of civil war has recently begun in Beirut. Two friends, Tarek and Omar, suffer during the Lebanese civil war. Conflicts arise when they decide to cross from West to East, crossing the Muslim-Christian line that divides Beirut.

So the Lovers Could Come Out Again

Invalid Date

Perched in a tower high above Beirut where they monitor the world below through their sniper lenses, two soldiers in the Lebanese civil war find love in their watchful seclusion. The film sketches a humanistic portrayal of two men in love at war and the fragile and violent circumstances that allow them to stay together.

Les Libanais, otages de leur ville

1982

Jocelyne Saab toured the city of Beirut devastated by Israeli bombings. She assesses the number of victims and the extent of the destruction.

Savages: The Wolf's Tale

2022

Distant mountains, isolated shepherds, and a government determined to protect an invisible animal. But imposing an urban law in a rural environment will not be easy. In the north of Spain, a group of cattle ranchers declare rebellion and opt for self-government. In the crossfire: photographers, forest rangers and naturalists. "Salvajes" shows the most western Spain in a frenetic story of characters where morality and damage depend on which side of the valley you ask the question.

Gilles Villeneuve, l'Aviatore

2022

Jiří Procházka: Cesta bojovníka

2022

Up There

2022

Nino was a bricklayer and lived in the outskirts of Palermo with his family. Now he lives alone on top of a mountain and is a prophet. He calls himself Isravele – and the name must be read backwards to understand its meaning. Up there, on a barren mountain on the edge of the city, is his home: an old abandoned observatory that in twenty years of solitary work he transformed into a portentous naive temple. Traveling up and down the mountain on a daily basis, Isravele takes with his backpack loaded with pebbles and concrete. His idea is to bring the bottom to the top in order to purify it. He transforms neglect into beauty, through constant work, bordering on the inhuman, which he calls prayer. But for some time more and more tourists and onlookers have been threatening the peace of this place, where a mysterious man is said to be alive, who announces the coming of the Apocalypse. Over there, in the city, they call him the hermit.