Detailed Program
1st Edition
Beirut Human Rights Film Festival
27-31 October 2008
Monday, October 27th, 2008 – Cinema Empire, Sofil Center, Achrafieh, Beirut Monday, November 24th, 2008 – Safadi Cultural Center, Tripoli
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Title: A Human Request
Goethe Institute
Director: Willumeit Schelegel
Language: German
Subtitles: English
Duration: 13 min.
Synopsis:
When the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in December 1948, 8 states abstained from voting arguing that certain articles were not acceptable in their cultures. To this day, certain positions within legal philosophy doubt the universality of human rights.
Title: Itsy Bitsy Spider
Director: Tanya Nasr
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Duration: 27 min.
Synopsis:
You think you know everything when a truth comes along to hit you in the face. Young boys and girls live through what we dare not think of. They tell their stories with a glimpse of hope in their eyes…and lots of dreams in their hearts!
Tuesday, October 28th 2008, Cinema Empire, Sofil Center, Achrafieh, Beirut Tuesday, November 25th 2008, Safadi Cultural Center, Tripoli
Session I: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Title: Birds عصافير
Director: Lara al Achkar
University: LU - Lebanese University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 7 min.
Synopsis: A masked man sitting on a black chair…. a group of people enters leaded by a man holding a bird cage in his hand; the chair man kills the bird….. Scenes of violence, and sounds of bombs intermingle during a series of events.
Title: Sing me a Dream
Director: Elie el Semaan
University: NDU – Notre Dame University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Duration: 15 min.
Synopsis:
‘Ghanile Ta Ihlam’ (Sing me a Dream) is a musical film which compares Jean Valjean to a boy (Amine) in Lebanon 2006. Only to find that there are thousands of Jean Valjeans in the world today! I wonder if Victor Hugo ever realized that the thoughts he wrote in ‘Les Miserables’ would echo to our day and age! We don’t realize the impact our judgments and words have on people’s dreams and future.
Title: The Bus of No Return
Director: Charbel Fouad Al Attar
University: Al Kafaat - The Europa Campus of Technology
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Duration: 18 min.
Synopsis:
Michel Al Attar, a university student martyred in the explosion of Ain Alaq. The film is about him and for him. A personal testimony about the violation of human rights.
Session II: 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Title: Children of the Streets
University: USJ - Saint Joseph University
Director: Tania Choueiri
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Duration: 20 min.
Synopsis: A journey full of sorrows and obstacles in the life of the children of the streets. Ahmad, Ali, Juliette and their friends, supported by an association, narrate their life stories and dreams.
Title: Deaf Eyes
Director: Dimah Tawk
University: NDU - Notre Dame University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Duration: 10 min.
Synopsis:
A young pianist “Karim” is highly traumatized by an experience he and his sister had in the past when they were children. This event affected his life entirely and is now having flashes back from the past.
Title: The Victim Child الطفل الضحية
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Hayat Abu Hamdan
University: Lebanese University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 7 min.
Synopsis:
Every day, homeless children are confronted with stressful and traumatic events. The film is about homeless children deprived of care and even any chance of happiness.
Title: Günz
Director: Amandine Brenas
University: ALBA – Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts
Language: None
Subtitles: None
Duration: 5 min.
Synopsis:
A short movie, about a little child who was brought up in a world filled with enmity and suffering … Until, she decided to make a different and spread the word of peace and love.
Title: Fear
Director: Rayan Bekdash
University: LU - Lebanese University
Language: None
Subtitles: None
Duration: 5 min.
Synopsis:
A little child is being traumatized by what is supposed to be her own safety and security…. With time her fear turned her into a monster that made her destroy what was dear to her.
Session III: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Title: Hassan and George; Hassan and Mostafa Dbouk; Elie Bitar; Fersan and Lina; Jamila and Ghada; Mansour and Mona
Ministry of Social Affairs in Lebanon
Director: Sabi Yani Turk
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 49 min.
Synopsis:
6 episodes tell stories from different regions of Lebanon, demonstrating tolerance and overcoming differences.
Title: Volks Wa Jean
Director: Adonis Khadra
University: USEK – University of the Holy Spirit Kaslik
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 11 min.
Synopsis:
A homeless man who has been moving from place to place seeking shelter, finally gets help from a friend who advices him to live in a van. Experience his daily routine.
Title: Calmness رواء
Director: Bassel Hachem
University: USEK - University of the Holy Spirit Kaslik
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 16 min.
Synopsis:
A life of an woman Rita living in a tent next to the river. Rita is deprived from the minimum standards required to live a normal decent life.
Title: Oh My Fear يا خوفي
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Ola el Shami and Omar el Shami
University: NDU – Notre Dame University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 5 min.
Synopsis:
People fear of being left alone during the wintertime of their life. After sacrificing lives to take care of their children, will they find anyone to take care of them when they are helpless and incapable?
Wednesday, October 29th 2008 – Cinema Empire, Sofil Center, Achrafieh, Beirut Wednesday, November 26th 2008 – Safadi Cultural Center, Tripoli
Session I: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Title: Parents that want an Orphan Child أهل بدن ابن يتيم
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Mohammad Taha
University: Beirut Arab University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 10 min.
Synopsis:
The tragedy of the children who beg, work or are left in the orphanages, while their parents are alive and do not care about their children future.
Title: Your Children are Yours Yours Yours أطفالكم لكم لكم لكم
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Linda Ghazal
University: Lebanese University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 8 min.
Synopsis:
Do the parents give enough care for their children? The film discusses the importance of taking care of children by their parents and how they should be engaged in children’s lives.
Title: Child Labor in Lebanon
Directors: Jean-Philippe Hannoun and Maroun Sily
University: LAU – Lebanese American University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 6 min.
Synopsis:
Causes and effects of child labor in Lebanon, children suffer the tough and risky conditions at work. They have no childhood, no education, no right to play...
Title: Children of the Streets
Director: Tania Choueiri
University: USJ – Saint Joseph University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Duration: 20 min.
Synopsis:
A journey full of sorrows and obstacles in the life of the children of the streets. Ahmad, Ali, Juliette and their friends, supported by an association, narrate their life stories and dreams.
Session II: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Title: Child Labor in Lebanon
Directors: Jean-Philippe Hannoun and Maroun Sily
University: LAU – Lebanese American University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 6 min.
Synopsis:
Causes and effects of child labor in Lebanon, children suffer the tough and risky conditions at work. They have no childhood, no education, no right to play...
Title: Education before Work العلم قبل العمل
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Mohammed Honeini and Bassel Daher
University: Beirut Arab University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 11 min.
Synopsis:
The film emphasizes the importance of educating children before allowing them into the work. Children dropped out school and chose work to ensure decent standard of living for them and their families.
Title: Chicklets’ Children
Director: Dona Saydi
University: Lebanese University
Language: None
Subtitles: None
Duration: 5 min.
Synopsis:
The tragedies of the children who are deprived of their childhood and forced by life condition to sell candy or beg to guarantee better life for their families.
Title: It’s my Right to Play من حقي العب
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Nadia Annous
University: Balamand
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 8 min.
Synopsis:
The film discusses basic children rights and specifically the right to play. It emphasizes that children do have the right to play in a safe and healthy environment.
Session III: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Title: Let’s Play
Director: Ghassan el Khouja
Language: Arabic
Subtitle: English
Duration: 6 min.
Synopsis:
Four Boys are searching for a place to play football in Tripoli. It appears to be an enormousness challenge…
Title: Child Labor
Director: Mahassen Haddara
University: AUT – American University of Technology
Language: English
Subtitle: None
Duration: 3 min.
Synopsis:
Child labour is reported as one of the social problems in Lebanon, especially in undeserved urban neighborhoods of the major cities. Children overturned their daily school’s time to a daily work time, in order to be the breadwinners of their families.
Title: Like Water, Like Air
Danish Refugee Council
Director: Farah Fayed
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Duration: 35 min.
Synopsis:
Like Water, Like Air, portrays the live of 4 non-ID refugee families living in Lebanon. From Rashidieh camp in Southern Lebanon to the streets of Gemmayze the film allows a rare insight into the lives of this group of refugees who have only recently become visible on the agenda of the Lebanese Government.
Title: To Whom Belongs This Sidewalk لمين هيدا الرصيف؟
Project Our Voice – The inclusive Media room
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 6 min.
Synopsis:
Maya is a girl that has special needs. She wants to go to “our voice” which is the only place where she can practice her hobbies and express her interests. On her way, she encounters many obstacles, which make her road even more difficult.
Title: Tante Hala
Director: Sara Haidar
University: USJ – Saint Joseph University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Duration: 14 min.
Synopsis:
Anger and resignation combine to open our eyes on the different reality of a person who knew how to keep the smile facing a world that took everything away from her. This documentary is a rare occasion that had a deaf and mute to express herself and her suffering by sending an S.O.S. full of love and hope to the humankind.
Title: Handala
Director: Bechara Damouni
University: USEK - University of the Holy Spirit Kaslik
Language: None
Subtitle: None
Duration: 17 min.
Synopsis:
I grew up and studied but never had a chance to work; I grew up wanting a future that I never reached. Just faced the difficulties of life where he was rejected by the people as no one knew him, he was just there drawn on my back, "Handala".
Title: Till Dawn
Director: Michael Assili
University: NDU – Notre Dame University
Language: Arabic
Subtitle: English
Duration: 8 min.
Synopsis:
Before David Ayoub retires, Hadi Ghosn, a newspaper reporter manages to get an exclusive interview with him. As the interview is taking place, David's last prisoner is getting ready and being prepared as he lives the last moments before his execution. David is certain that this is his last night as an executioner, only to find out that fate has planned a twisted turn of events.
Thursday, October 30th 2008 – Cinema Empire, Sofil Center, Achrafieh, Beirut
Thursday, November 27th 2008 – Safadi Cultural Center, Tripoli
Session I: 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Title: Your Children are Yours Yours Yours أطفالكم لكم لكم لكم
UNICEF – Sawtna
Director: Linda Ghazal
University: Lebanese University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 8 min.
Synopsis:
Do the parents give enough care for their children? The film discusses the importance of taking care of children by their parents and how they should be engaged in children’s lives.
Title: Education before Work العلم قبل العمل
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Mohammed Honeini and Basel Daher
University: Beirut Arab University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 11 min.
Synopsis:
The film emphasizes the importance of educating children before allowing them into the work. Children dropped out school and chose work to ensure decent standard of living for them and their families.
Title: One day in the life of Palestinian Children
By: Maxime Baz and Stephanie el Rayess
University: LAU – Lebanese American University
Language: Arabic
Subtitle: English
Duration: 20 min.
Synopsis:
This film shows a sample of the life that Palestinian children live in the camps everyday. Deprived from the basic rights. Narrowed in the opportunities they straggle life obstacles.
Session II: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Title: Life’s Hope
Director: Bechara Damouni
University: USEK - University of the Holy Spirit Kaslik
Language: Arabic
Subtitle: English
Duration: 20 min.
Synopsis:
There was war targeting the camps, and there was a cease of fire that hour, and we all went out. We were a group of men and women. Suddenly ... a bomb fell between us ... and we all got injured…some died. We are living a life or misery.
Title: My Ball - طابتي
Director: Rawane Nassif
University: USJ – Saint Joseph University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Duration: 16 min.
Synopsis:
Samer, a twelve years old boy living in the Palestinian refugee camp of Chatila in Beirut. He was asked to collect money to buy a ball. He chooses to use his own method by gathering garbage metal and then selling it.
Session III: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Title: Home. Then Home. Then School البيت..البيت..ثم المدرسة
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Rana al Hajj Ali
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 8 min.
Synopsis:
The love, attention, and parents’ interest in children future. The film demonstrates the importance of how parents raise their children and its significant impact on the child’s life.
Title: The Reality of Al Bared in Al Beddawi واقع البارد في البداوي
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Elie Moussa
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 12 min.
Synopsis:
The film demonstrates the misery of the Palestinian refugees in the camps, especially after the Nahr el Bared crises when the refugees had to flee from the Nahr el Bared Camp to the Beddawi camp.
Title: Survivors
By: KAFA (enough) violence and exploitation
Director: Pierre Abou Jawdeh
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Duration: 14 min.
Synopsis:
Domestic violence should not happen to anybody. Ever, ever… Unfortunately it does… Maybe you know someone who is being abused… even right now… You should listen to the stories of survivors…
Title: Maid in Lebanon II
Director: Carol Mansour
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 40 min.
Synopsis:
A documentary that explores the complexity of the relationship between migrant domestic workers and the Lebanese households as employers in a factual, and at times humorous and touching manner. This documentary chronicles the life of women migrant domestic workers within the Lebanese society: Their joys, pains, expectations, deceptions and their humanity.
Friday, October 31st 2008 – Cinema Empire, Sofil Center, Achrafieh, Beirut
Friday, November 28th 2008 – Safadi Cultural Center, Tripoli.
Session I: 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Title: Domestic violence
Directors: Rana Moussa and Ralph Prince
University: LAU – Lebanese American University
Language: English/Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 8 min.
Synopsis:
Domestic violence and emotional abuse are behaviors consider as a taboo in Lebanese society. Emotional, psychological and financial abuses are occurring on the daily bases… Anyone can be a victim.
Title: Women’s Rights حقوق المرأة
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Samah Daakour
University: Lebanese University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 12 min.
Synopsis:
The film discusses the issue of women’s right in Lebanese society. It surveys several women’s opinions regarding the status of woman’s rights.
Title: Girls are the Scapegoat البنات كبش محرقة
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Maya Dergham
University: Beirut Arab University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 12 min.
Synopsis:
The film tackles the issue of sexual exploitation of young children specially girls by adults. Sometimes even by close people and relatives... The girls are only guilty of being innocent and ignorant. And thus, they become the scapegoat.
Title: Prostitution الدعارة
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Rim al Asal
University: NDU – Notre Dame University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 12 min.
Synopsis:
The film discusses the problem of prostitution. It also shows how some girls were determined and decided to get out of the circle of prostitution. Were they able to do so?
Session I: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Title: I’m Equal to Him متلي متلو
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Ola el Shami and Omar el Shami
University: NDU – Notre Dame University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 8 min.
Synopsis:
Till this day, some parents prefer one child than the other because of his gender. Some parents still prefer boys… The film tackles this issue from the angle of the girl underling: I’m equal to him..
Title: Assault and Crime اعتداء و جريمة
UNICEF - Sawtna
Director: Samah Daakour
University: Lebanese University
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 5 min.
Synopsis:
Whatever happened, it wasn't her fault... The blame for a rape lies solely with the rapist. The film tackles the issue of rape, and how the society deals with the offender and the victim.
Title: Most Beautiful Stories أجمل حكايا
Director: Yuri Tamer
University: LAU - Beirut
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 17 min.
Synopsis:
The film tackles the issue of rape. It discussed the issue from the point of view of the victim, of the religion and of the Lebanese law.
Title: Dance of the Veil (La Dance du Voile)
Director: Nadine Kassem
University: ALBA – Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts
Language: Arabic
Subtitles: None
Duration: 12 min.
Synopsis:
Dance of the Veil is about a women’s love to live… Yet, society restrictions prevent her from practicing what she really loves, can she overcome those limitations?
Session III: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Closing Ceremony: Rewards Distribution
