Welcome to the land of honey and incense, whose history marked by turmoil is difficult to summarize here. Lebanon saw the thawra (revolution) in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic, the explosion at the port of Beirut in August 2020, and a new offensive of the Israeli army in 2024. Sites of production were swept up, the Lebanese pound lost 95% of its value, with 82% of the population living under the poverty line. Faced with these circumstances, Lebanese artists persevere and reinvent themselves in spite of the obstacles. For a country half the size of Wales in the UK, smaller than the state of Connecticut in the US, (10,452 km2), filmmaking in Lebanon has flourished remarkably over the past few years. The number of filmmakers is growing, each one shaped by their own experiences and references. This has produced a blend of genres and styles from a cosmopolitan country where ideas and cultures intermingle, where international co-productions and the multiple identities of directors–often jostled between two countries—become elements which foster creativity.

Three programs in the focus showcase this vitality, proposing new ideas for making cinema, sharing films and above all rediscovering lost spaces. One program will stand out from the rest, devoted entirely to Wissam Charaf, a talented and humorous director and friend of the festival. Apart from the core of this focus, there will be other programs and proposals to help you get to know this country even better: two Collections programs, a Decibels! program, podcasts and even a photographic exhibition will be on the program.

Lebanese cinema is soaring. But History does not seem to wish to grant it any respite…

The poster for the Lebanese focus is made by Lebanese artist Brahim Samaha, a painter and engraver. He is also the founder of the Cabriolet Film Festival, which has been held in Beirut for the last fifteen years.
He will be attending the Festival and taking part in the Anatomie du Labo exhibition at Le Lieu-Dit.