West Beirut (film)

West Beirut
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ziad Doueiri
Written by	Ziad Doueiri
Starring	Rami Doueiri; Mohamad Chamas; Rola Al Amin
Music by	Stewart Copeland
Cinematography	Ricardo Jacques Gale
Edited by	Dominique Marcombe
Release date	1998;
Running time	105 minutes
Country	Lebanon
Language	Arabic; French

West Beirut (French: West Beyrouth (À l'abri les enfants); Arabic: بيروت الغربية‎ Beyrouth Al Gharbiyya) is a 1998 Lebanese drama film written and directed by Ziad Doueiri. The film was selected as the Lebanese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 71st Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.[1][2]

Plot

In April 1975, civil war breaks out; Beirut is partitioned along a line separating the Muslim-Christian-Jewish mixed West Beirut from the quasi-Christian East Beirut. After the line was created, Tarek is now considered to live in West Beirut (the mixed part and Tarek is Muslim himself) and is in high school, making Super 8 movies with his friend, Omar. At first the war is a lark: school has closed (and is situated in East Beirut no longer accessible to West Beirut residents), the violence is fascinating, getting from West to East is a game. His mother wants to leave the country; but his father refuses. Tarek spends time with May, an orphaned Christian girl living in his building. By accident, Tarek goes to an infamous brothel in the war-torn Zeytouni Quarter, meeting its legendary madam, Oum Walid. He then takes Omar and May there. Family tensions rise. Later on and as he comes of age, the war moves inexorably from adventure to a nationwide tragedy.

Cast

Rami Doueiri as Tarek
Mohamad Chamas as Omar
Rola Al-Amin as May
Carmen Lebbos as Hala, Tarek's mother
Joseph Bou Nassar as Riad, Tarek's father
Liliane Nemri as Nahida (a neighbor)
Leïla Karam as Brothel Madam (Oum Walid)
Hassan Farhat as Roadblock Militiaman
Mahmoud Mabsout as Baker
Fadi Abou Khalil as Bakery Militiaman

Awards

Prix François Chalais at the Directors' fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival (1998)
FIPRESCI International Critics' Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (1998)
Best First Film at the Carthage Film Festival (1998)
Youth Jury Award at the Valladolid International Film Festival (1998)
SAA Script Award at the Fribourg International Film Festival (1999)

References

Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
"45 Countries Submit Films for Oscar Consideration". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 19 November 1998. Archived from the original on 19 February 1999. Retrieved 20 October 2015.

External links

West Beirut on IMDb
Macnab, Geoffrey (August 1999). "West Beirut". Sight and Sound. British Film Institute. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
Nesselson, Lisa (31 May 1998). "West Beyrouth". Variety. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
O'Hehir, Andrew (9 September 1999). "West Beirut". Salon. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
Interview with Ziad Doueiri about "West Beiruth" in Salon 1999-09-09. Retrieved 2010-08-25

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[1] Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

[71stSubmissions-2] "45 Countries Submit Films for Oscar Consideration". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 19 November 1998. Archived from the original on 19 February 1999. Retrieved 20 October 2015.