Beirut Over and Over Again

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 the 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, small initiatives offering basic support with food and rebuilding measures, as well as a solidarity fund for the arts.

Film program Prologue Hassan Julien Chehouri | 2019 | 30s | Digital | English | Music: Charbel Haber - Crossing the Danube I made this short video in 2019, shot on my phone from my balcony which overlooks the port. Overlooking the 2700 tons of ammonium nitrate.

Terra Incognita Ghassan Salhab | 2002 | 120’ | 35mm to digital | Arabic with English subtitles Present-day Beirut, a city seven times destroyed, and re-built as often. A city in a constant state of construction, mutating, in the same manner as the film’s main character, Soraya, and also Leyla, Tarek, Nadim and Haïdar. Characters that find themselves suspended, stuck in the present. They do not dare to look behind them, nor project themselves forward. What lives, what stories, can one invent, following a catastrophe?

List of Supported Organisations • Egna Legna Besidet እኛ ለኛ በስደት Fundraising for food and medicine for domestic workers affected by the explosion. Community-based feminist organisation working in Lebanon and Ethiopia and led by a former domestic worker. https://www.gofundme.com/f/food-and-medicine-for-kafala-victims-in-lebanon?%20fbclid=IwAR15GhUdCTbLjRaLbOTzJVdk53DZ86ReEY-rfHIWYcxUpGOVWPOSYKJsbwA

• Sawa for Development and Aid Lebanese organisation that works with Syrian refugees in Lebanon. https://www.givingloop.org/sawafordevelopmentandaid

• Disaster Relief for the transgender community https://www.gofundme.com/f/financial-aid-for-lebanese-transgender-community

• A Funding campaign for LGBTQ victims of the Beirut Explosion https://www.gofundme.com/f/funds-for-lgbtq-victims-of-beirut039s-explosion?%20utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all

• Matbakh El Balad Group of volunteer activists running food distribution. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/impact-lebanon-cook?%20utm_term=YvBvkeK33&fbclid=IwAR19MUgW3DZNX2xf5JZRMRLBFnnrNkj9OOFRsbuq_M3VHnwbU5siSs7CMHk

• Basmeh and Zeitooneh for Relief and Development A foundation that supports the most marginalized communities in the Middle East. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/BeirutExplosion?utm_term=yEvxxrA6Y

• Lebanon Solidarity Fund by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) and Cultural Resource (Al Mawred al Thaquafi) An international fundraising campaign to support the culture and the arts community within Beirut under the Lebanon Solidarity Fund. The raised funds will be fully channelled to support affected arts and culture organizations and spaces based on the identification of urgent needs. The fund will also support individual artists who lost their homes, instruments and equipment. https://www.givingloop.org/afac?p_id=170&fbclid=IwAR1BPfOZ-%20gIDtwlboi2iZk3R18fFWmUMUHiEUt3C13Fhm9RutvmQ4R86p08