CAST:
Rami Doueiri,
Mohamed Chamas,
Rola Al Amin

SCRIPT:
Ziad Doueiri

PHOTOGRAPHY:
Ricardo Gale

Synopsis:
Civil war breaks out on April 14, 1975 in Beirut. Teenagers Tarek and Omar and a young Christian, May, who has recently moved to the city, live in west Beirut in the Muslim part. Christians mostly live in east Beirut. This geographical division causes rampage in the whole state.

Festivals, awards: Cannes (award François Chalais), IMA (Arabian critics’ award, grand prix of the biennale), Toronto (critics’ award), Taipei (jury’s grand prix), Carthage (award for the best debutant), Brussels (audience’s award), Fryeburg (award for the screenplay), Lebanon’s representative at Golden Globe and Oscar.

Director’s statement:
I believed that I could sell a film on the American market - but I would have to think strategically. A film has to be funny; it has to be a hit. You have to manipulate the reality. So, I played with facts. I took a real event and used it to tell a story… I did not make a documentary - I have every right to do so.

35 mm, color, 105 min