AWL_038 consists of a special international touring program of short films from and about Beirut. The aim is to fundraise for those affected by the Beirut explosion of August 4th.
The tour is an initiative of filmmakers Nour Ouayda (Beirut) and Philip Widmann (Berlin). After Berlin, Paris, Marseille and Geneva the program is now presented in Rotterdam. The Rotterdam screenings are made possible by IFFR, AWL_ and WORM. Please click your preferred timeslot to order your tickets here: 19:00 or 22:00.
still from Prologue by Hassan Julien Chehouri (2019)
Beirut over and over again | Beyrouth plusieurs fois
(Text by Nour Ouyada and Philip Widmann)
You may have seen the pictures and videos of the explosion that shook Beirut at 6:08 pm on August 4th. It was larger than anyone can imagine. Till today, there are 178 deaths and thousands of injured and displaced. Many have lost their wives, husbands, kids, lovers, homes and livelihoods. Protests against the encrusted political system represented by the Lebanese government took place after the catastrophe and were answered with more violence, tear gas, rubber bullets, pellets, repression. A state of military emergency was declared and is threatening our freedom to protest and stand against a regime that has literally blown us all up. The regime is still keeping us in the dark as to what really happened at the dock number 12 at the port that day. Meanwhile we are cleaning up our streets, mourning our dead, worried sick about those that remain unfound and still counting the damages.
The catastrophe has escalated the severe difficulties experienced by many in Lebanon due to political inertia, the collapse of the national economy, and the global pandemic. Many are struggling to survive and need our help to rebuild homes, shops, find shelter and food, replace their work tools that they lost during the blast.
In light of this situation, we have selected several films from and about Beirut to be screened in various cities around the world. The donations collected at these screenings will be put where they’re needed most at the moment, and where they directly help people sustain their livelihoods. All proceeds will be distributed among organisations that offering help to migrant workers, refugees, transgender and LGBTQ communities, small initiatives offering basic support with food and rebuilding measures, as well as a solidarity fund for the arts. A full list of all organisations can be found here.
Program
Prologue
Hassan Julien Chehouri | 2019 | 0:30' | Digital | English | Music: Charbel Haber
E.D.L.
Siska | 2011 | 21’ | Super 8 transferred to video | no dialogue
2mg of rotten blood on pure white snow
Rami El Sabbagh | 2007 | 21’ | MiniDV to digital | no dialogue
Allô Chérie
Danielle Arbid | 2015 | 24’ | Digital | Arabic with English subtitles
Le Voyage Immobile / الشوق قد على / As Far As Yearning
Mohamed Soueid & Ghassan Salhab | 2017 | 23’ | Digital | Arabic with English subtitles
please check here for the full descriptions of the films.
Wednesday August 26 2020
Doors open: 18:45 + 21:45 hrs
Start screening: 19:00 + 22:00 hrs
pre sale tickets: WORM
Boomgaardsstraat 71, Rotterdam