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Colette Naufal, founder of the Beirut International Film Festival, shaped the Lebanese cinematic landscape for more than two decades. Her passing at 78 leaves a significant void, but her legacy is imperishable.
The Birth of a Passion
Although few details are known about Colette Naufal’s youth, it is evident that she developed a deep passion for cinema early on. This love for the seventh art drove her to embark on the bold adventure of creating an international film festival in Beirut, a city still healing from the scars of the civil war. In 1997, from the devastated center of Beirut before its reconstruction, Naufal took on a significant challenge by founding the Beirut International Film Festival (BIFF) with only fifteen films. Despite her lack of experience in organizing film events, her determination and clear vision overcame obstacles to bring the festival to life.
The Rise of BIFF
Over the course of its eighteen editions, the BIFF grew under Naufal’s leadership, featuring between 60 and 80 films annually and gaining importance to become a regional event attracting filmmakers from the Middle East. The diverse programming allowed the Lebanese audience to discover films from major international festivals, from Cannes to Berlin to Venice. Naufal did not hesitate to challenge Lebanese censorship by programming films addressing sensitive topics, fighting battles to make it more open. Her commitment to promoting Lebanese and Arab cinema was total. The BIFF provided a platform to showcase films by Lebanese directors, both known and emerging, and a space for Iranian filmmakers oppressed in their country, like Abbas Kiarostami and Jafar Panahi.
The festival played a crucial role in launching the careers of Lebanese filmmakers like Nadine Labaki, whose film Capernaum was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2019, a first for Lebanon. The BIFF also supported directors like Ziad Doueiri, whose film The Insult was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2018, marking Lebanon’s first nomination in this category. Through her network, Colette Naufal also helped to introduce young talents like Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya.
The BIFF also hosted numerous major figures of international cinema such as Francis Ford Coppola, Juliette Binoche, Julie Gayet, and Gianfranco Rosi.
Unwavering Resilience
Despite political instability and budget constraints, Naufal showed remarkable resilience to maintain the BIFF, even after difficult events like the assassinations of 2004–2005 or the July 2006 war. With limited means and the support of the private sector, she succeeded in endowing Beirut with its distinctive festival before the emergence of Gulf festivals with significant financial capacities. Attentive to new trends, Naufal evolved the festival by introducing a culinary film section in 2010, combining her personal passion for gastronomy with her desire to promote the “slow food” culture in Lebanon. This capacity for innovation allowed the BIFF to expand its scope beyond traditional cinema.
An Imperishable Legacy
Colette Naufal’s imprint on Lebanese and Middle Eastern cinema is indelible. By creating a space for art house cinema in Lebanon, promoting local talents, enriching Beirut’s cultural life, and encouraging intercultural dialogue, she inspired an entire generation of filmmakers. Her festival offered a brilliant cultural image of Lebanon after the war and before the great collapse. The testimonials paint a portrait of a passionate and determined woman, viscerally attached to cinema. Her sometimes fiery character was only a reflection of a rare passion and unparalleled attention to detail. Despite some criticisms on certain aspects, Colette Naufal remains undeniably a leading figure who contributed to a vibrant cinematic scene.
Colette Naufal passed away at 78 with one regret in her heart, a dream she could not complete. Since the cessation of the BIFF after 2019, she had begun to fade little by little. This time, the end of the film was not happy. But her legacy continues to inspire the regional cinematic scene. Her unwavering commitment to auteur cinema and the promotion of local talents has paved the way for a new wave of Lebanese and Arab filmmakers, ensuring the continuity of her influence.
Colette Naufal’s funeral will take place on Thursday, August 1, at noon at Saint Dimitrios of the Greek Orthodox in Mar Mitr – Achrafieh. Condolences will be received before and after the burial in the church’s salon from 11 am to 6 pm, and on Friday from 11 am to 6 pm.
