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The Festival is over but ..né.à Beyrouth continues to promote lebanese filmmakers through a unique compilation of Lebanese short movies... LFF 2009: The Closing Ceremony - And the winner is...
The Bank Audi Best Film award was presented to the young film director by Mr. Raymond Audi during a very busy and happy closing ceremony. We asked Elie Khalifé, member of the Jury together with Hania Mroué and Rima Mismar, why they awarded Shirin’s movie: Elie Khalifé: “ Because her movie is a jewel; it is different, new, powerful, poetic, musical… But I must admit that the final decision was not easy as there were a lot of good movies programmed, like Talal Khouri’s Mercredi; Katia Jarjoura’s Bi rouh, bi dam; Hady Zaccak’s Darson fil Tarikh; Jad Sarout’s Zeid w Leyla…” We asked Shirin what it felt like to receive the first award presented at the Lebanese Film Festival : Shirin Abu Shaqra: “Superb! It is a beautiful sign of encouragement. This was the second screening of the movie in public, and the first time in the Arab world. So it is really rewarding!” Do you have any future plans? SAS: “ I'm working on a 2D/3D fantastic tale, entitled Conversations with Changes. The Original Soundtrack will be composed by IRCAM young composer Patricia Alessandrini. This film, which is being produced in the framework of my residency at Fresnoy, Studio National d'Art Contemporain in France, will be released next year.” Two other highlights of the evening were the screening of Lara Saba’s documentary Shattered Memories based on Télé Liban restored archives which have a highly historical and emotional value; and the screening of Chadi Zeneddine’s debut feature film Falling from Earth. This was the first time Falling from Earth was screened in Lebanon, Chadi’s fatherland. And his enthusiasm and excitement could not be more apparent as he introduced the film to a packed audience amongst which his actors and crew members. A director’s close up interview with Chadi will be written in the next post. Chadi Zeneddine, film Director (Falling From Earth) & Pierre Sarraf, Director, LFF. Lara Saba, Film Director (Shattered Dreams) ![]() H.E. Mr. Raymond Audi - Minister of Displaced - Board Member of Bank Audi sal H.E. Mr. Raymond Audi presenting the Bank Audi Best Film Award to Shirin Abu Shaqra Shirin Abu Shaqra, winner of the first LLF award with H.E. Mr. Raymond Audi, Jury members (Hania Mroué, Elie Khalifé, Rima Mismar) and Pierre Sarraf, Director LFF. Festival atmosphere ![]() Chadi Zeneddine presenting his movie Falling From Earth ![]() Chadi and his film team Click on images to enlarge. All pictures by Mokhtar - www.mokhtarhb.com For any other use, contact: festival@neabeyrouth.org
Akram Zaatari, Film Director ![]() Dr. Lars Gass, Director, Oberhausen Short Film Festival ![]() Robert Cremona, Film Director (IESAV) (Le temps des cerises) ![]() Click on images to enlarge. All pictures by Mokhtar - www.mokhtarhb.com For press use, contact: leylanahas@neabeyrouth.org or festival@neabeyrouth.org For any other use, contact: festival@neabeyrouth.org
Not Like my Sister by Leyla Assaf-Tengroth ran in Theater 1 before an attentive audience who seemed grasped by the story and touched by the characters that were depicted. Round of applause. At the same time, the duo Hayda Lubnan/Jnoub were screened in Theater 2. The Lebanese audience immediately identified with the issues in Eliane Raheb’s story, clapping, laughing and nodding during the entire film. The same atmosphere was observed during Hady Zaccak’s documentary, an original study of a sensitive Lebanese problem: its History. What better way to do it than to give the say to highschoolers? Other screenings included: a documentary by Lokman Slim&Monika Borgmann, animations by Shirin Abu Shaqra and Amandine Brenas, cinematic essays by Chadi Younes and Khaled Ramadan and two shorts by Claude el Khal and Assi Rahbani. The evening ended in Theater 2 with a controversial movie from 1980, Comme la mer et ses vagues.
Claude El Khal, Film Director (Ecce Hommos) Hady Zaccak, Film Director (Darson fil Tarikh) and one of the 'actors' in his documentary Leyla Assaf-Tengroth, Film Director (Not like my sister) Eliane Raheb (right), Film Director (Hayda Lubnan) Click on images to enlarge. For press use, contact: leylanahas@neabeyrouth.org or festival@neabeyrouth.org For any other use, contact: festival@neabeyrouth.org
The 8th Edition of the Lebanese Film Festival kicked off yesterday by welcoming some 600 spectators on a hot (40°C?) and humid (90%?) evening. Despite some organizational snags due to the usual 3aj2a and some technical glitches (hey, this is Lebanon!), the crowd came out of the theater after a satisfying first look at the festival. When asked what they thought about the opening program, most of them replied that they were happily surprised by the quality of the movies that were shown and that they felt proud that Lebanon offers such artistic talents. Though the movies presented were all Lebanese, they were all quite different. The audience giggled and laughed throughout Danielle Arbid’smise-en-scène of typical Ashrafieh middle-aged women having conversations around their afternoon Arabic coffee. A blanket of silence descended upon the spectators as Katia Jarjoura’s emotional and intense "Bi rouh, bi dam" unfolded. The audience gave Katia a round of warm applause, showing that her first fiction movie has won the hearts of many Lebanese. Talal Khoury took the spectators on a Hamra-esque half-hour journey into the surreal and the spontaneous. There is still plenty for your eyes to feast on in the coming days! We'll see you at the Empire Sofil Metropolis Cinema everyday till Sunday - programs start at 6pm. Please note that the Festival Pass gives you access to all screenings until Sunday – Please don’t lose it and bring it with you to the cinema! Also, if you want to be sure to have a seat – and not sit on the floor or watch the movie while standing, make sure to arrive on time and to get into the theater early. LFF 2009 kicks off! Pierre Sarraf, Director LFF being interviewed... Katia Jarjoura, Filmmaker ("Bi rouh, bi dam") Talal Khoury, Filmmaker (Mercredi; 9 août) Click on images to enlarge. All pictures by Mokhtar - www.mokhtarhb.com For press use, contact: leylanahas@neabeyrouth.org For any other use, contact: festival@neabeyrouth.org © ..né.à Beyrouth | graphic design by vit-e | website development by open web lab |