Music & Cinema

CINEMA

2011 Arab Film Festival- December 1-4, 2011
Lower Level Auditorium
Arab American National Museum
13624 Michigan Ave.
Dearborn MI 48126
Tickets required
Presented by the Arab American National Museum in collaboration with ArteEast

With the outbreak of massive pro-democracy uprisings that have swept the Arab World since December 2010, the term “Arab Spring” has acquired a whole new meaning; one that holds far more positive connotations for Arabs across the world than it did when it was first coined in 2005 to suggest the benefits Arabs were to reap shortly after, and as a direct result of, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

During these six years, between the first patronizing usage of this term and the recent storm of independent people-led Arab revolutionary waves that led to its reemergence in a new context, several filmmakers across Arab countries have been actively and innovatively depicting, questioning and challenging the status quo, employing a variety of approaches that ranged from analytical to highly critical and sometimes simply observational.

This program reflects the broad spectrum of themes, visual styles and unique cinematic languages reflected in the works of a number of filmmakers from Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Syria, Palestine and Iraq from 2005 through today.

Festival schedule is subject to change.

More information on : http://www.arabamericanmuseum.org/arab.film.festival

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Rue Huvelin
17 November 2011 (Lebanon)

Synopsis : This movie brings to life the social struggle of seven students of the Saint Joseph University (located in the Huvelin Street) fighting for freedom during the Syrian occupation (1982-)

Director: Mounir Maasri
Writer: Maroun Nassar
Stars: Charbel Kamel, Robert Cremona and Carmen Bsaibes

Read the interview of Robert Cremona

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PORTRAIT

Nadine Labaki

Biography

Nadine Labaki was born on February 18th 1974 in Beirut. She is an actress, director and screenwriter. She passed her Baccalaureate in 1993, and started studying audiovisual at the Saint Joseph University. She realized her first school movie 11 Pasteur Street in 1997 that received the award for best short film at the Biennale of Arab cinema in the Arab World Institute in Paris in 1998. Then, she started working in advertising; she made many video clips such as one for a renowned Lebanese singer, Nancy Ajram, for which she obtained a prize in 2002. In August 2007, she produced her first movie Caramel. The film was highly welcomed in Lebanon and around the Middle East. It also premiered at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival during the Directors’ Fortnight. It continued its run at several other high-profile film festivals, including the Toronto Film Festival. It continued to expand in different countries around the world, including the U.S.A. and the United Kingdom. In 2011, her second movie Where do we go now? premiered at the 2011 Cannes Festival, and also won the audience award at the 2011 International Film Festival in Toronto.

Filmography

Where do we go now? 2011

It is the story of an isolated unnamed Lebanese village where coexist Muslims and Christians. As civil war starts to take over the country, in order to keep their men beside them and safe, the women of the village protect them by keeping hiding the truth. They will use many techniques such as sabotaging the village radio, and then destroying the village TV.

Caramel, 2007

This movie shows a Beirut that most of the Lebanese families are not familiar with. The movie is about five women, but rather than having political and religious discussions which are the main topics that come to mind when talking about Lebanon, they discuss issues related to love, sexuality, tradition, disappointment, and the usual everyday ups and downs.

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MUSIC

Trance Around the World 400

Above & Beyond – the British trance DJ trio – have chosen Beirut to broadcast their 400th episode of the ‘Trance Around the World’ radio show. They celebrate their 400th broadcast by throwing one big trance marathon, on November 26 at Forum de Beyrouth.Time Out took a look at the guest DJs who’ll be joining Above & Beyond on the decks.

Forum de Beyrouth
Address: Charles Helou Ave, Quarantina
Quarantina
Beirut

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Mashrou’ Leila

Mashrou’ Leila means the “overnight project”. It is a Lebanese alternative rock band composed by 7 members. The band was formed in Beirut in 2008 as a music workshop at the American University of Beirut. Led by Hamed Sinno, the band has released one studio album that caused numerous controversies due to their unusual lyrics and themes. Such as; the Lebanese society customs, failed love, sexuality. In fact, this band is looking to express itself and represent a Lebanese community that is tired of the stress and the unstable political situation.