VIDEOS UNDER SIEGE

Lebanon/2006/Arabic and French dialogue with English subtitles/Colour and B&W/Video/39 mins

On the occasion of the opening of the Arab Cinema Biennale in Paris in July 2006, several Lebanese filmmakers were stuck in France and unable to come home to Lebanon as war erupted. They were determined to create short videos, as part of an urgent and collective effort. These films express their makers’ anger and indignation towards the dramatic situation in their country. They ask, in their own manner, to put an end at once to the ongoing destruction caused by the terrible and furious war machine. More than 20 shorts documenting the daily life in Lebanon under siege were produced, from which DIFF has selected 13.

FROM BEIRUT TO… THOSE WHO LOVE US (5 mins) Collective work of Beirut DC.
AIRPORT 1 (40 seconds) Collective work of Akram Zaatari, Khalil Joreige, Joana Hadjithomas, Danielle Arbid & Tina Baz.
STARRY NIGHT (45 seconds) Collective work of Akram Zaatari, Khalil Joreige, Joana Hadjithomas, Danielle Arbid & Tina Baz.
A MINUTE OF SILENCE FOR LEBANON (1 min) by Michel Kammoun.
BEIRUT GROUND ZERO (1 min) by Khalil Joreige, Joana Hadjithomas & Tina Baz.
THE WAR ON LEBANON IN THE EYES OF THE KIDS (3 mins) by Samar Mogharbel.
WHAT, SHOES? (2 mins) by Gregory Buchakjian.
NOIR SUR BLANC (BLACK ON WHITE) (3 mins) by Sabine El Chamaa.
DEAD TIME (7 mins) by Ghassan Salhab.
…FALSE CONNECTION (4 mins) by Ahmad Ghsein.
BINT JBEIL 1 (2 mins) by Rania Stephan.
BEFORE, AFTER (5 mins) by Elie Yazbek.
MONDAY, AUGUST 14, SOUTHERN SUBURB BRIDGE (4 mins) by Rania Stephan.

This programme is presented in collaboration with Ayam Beirut Al Cinema’iya Film Festival
(www.beirutdc.org ), Cinesoumoud (www.cinesoumoud.net ) and Cinemayat (www.cinemayat.org ).