18 September 2014
The UK Arab Film Festival returns with two rarely-screened, classic Arab films. Curated by Omar Kholeif. Supported by the British Academy International Partnerships Scheme and the University of Manchester.
West Beirut
Dir Ziad Doueiri/LB 1998/110 mins/Arabic and French wEng ST/Cert 15
Rami Doueiri, Mohamad Chamas, Rola Al Amin, Carmen Lebbos, Joseph Bou Nassar, Liliane Nemry, Leila Karam
Set in Lebanon at the start of the 1975 civil war, West Beirut tells the gripping and emotional story of two young boys, Tarek and Omar, whose world is fuelled by political violence. At first, the war seems like a lark and the boys make 8mm films of their adventures together, reveling in the thrilling excitement of conflict.
But soon, religious and patriarchal tensions rise, and their personal war leads from adventure to tragedy.