Ever since the horrific explosion rocked Beirut last Tuesday, people from around the world have been coming together to support the people in any way they can.
This weekend, Cinema Akil is screening (1998) from Ziad Doueiri and Nadine Labaki’s (2011). All proceeds from the ticket sales go to the Lebanese Red Cross relief efforts.
In partnership with MENA distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment and the Kuwait National Cinema Company, the arthouse cinema will be showing the films on Friday 14 August and Saturday 15 August.
“Cinema Akil is proud to open its doors in what we consider a small contribution towards a much larger relief effort needed to support the people of Lebanon whose lives and futures lay in peril as a result of these catastrophic events with the hope that our community will be encouraged to do their part in supporting local and regional effort and support the right organizations doing the work on ground in Beirut,” reads the press release.
“While both set against the backdrop of the civil war the films; equally, exhibit Lebanon not as a theatre of tragedy and destruction – but a Lebanon that is beautiful, a Lebanon that is joyful and a Lebanon that is resilient: a clear parallel to the Lebanon we are seeing come together today in solidary to pull the country from under the rubble.”
chronicles the lives of a pair of school friends who enter a series of misadventures as they roam the city in the very early days of the Lebanese civil war, while Labaki’s feminist-themed follows the inhabitants of a small village in the Lebanon mountains as a group of women try to ease tensions between Christian and Muslim men.
“I am part Lebanese and spent a large chunk of my youth in school and university in Beirut.Same applies to some of our team. The place is near and dear to our hearts,” said Front Row CEO Gianluca Chakra.
“Seeing the damage from that explosion truly affected us all at Front Row and these screenings with our close partners Cinema Akil are a way for me to give back to my home country. I’m confident in Lebanon’s people and in their ability to always rise above tragedy and move forward.”
The blast has killed over 200 people and injured thousands more. It is beilived to have been caused by the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely at the port. Yesterday, Lebanon’s government resigned following mounting anger from the public.
Beirut relief donations can also be made out through the following link: https://helplebanon.carrd.co/
