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3. ‘Arzé’: A Tribute to Lebanese Women’s Strength, All the Way to the Oscars

Lebanon celebrates the nomination of Arzé, a film by Mira Shaib, for the Oscars. Chosen by Lebanon’s preselection committee, this touching film will compete in the Best Foreign Film category, showcasing the strength of Lebanese women in the face of challenges.

Lebanon recently celebrated with pride the announcement of the nomination of Arzé, a film by Mira Shaib, for the upcoming Oscars on March 3. Chosen by Lebanon’s Oscar preselection committee, this feature film will represent Lebanon in the Best Foreign Film category. The nomination of Arzé has been hailed on social media by the cast as a triumph of life, cinema, and art amidst the turmoil Lebanon is currently enduring. The actors shared their emotions, united by pride and resilience during these uncertain times.

“The role of Layla was offered to me in December 2019,” says Betty Taoutel. “I was the first to say yes and join the project after reading the initial draft. I felt so happy and honored by the trust placed in me by screenwriters Louay Kraish and Sam Faysal Shaib, as well as director Mira Shaib.” Reflecting on the Oscar nomination, she adds, “This is the best, if not the only good news I have received recently. Since mid-September, I have seen all my projects collapse, including my planned presence at the Arab World Festival in Montreal for the screening of Arzé, a conference, and especially to perform my latest theatrical creation, Mono-Pause, at this 25th edition. I also missed the screening of Arzé at IMA, opening the Lebanese Film Festival in Paris. For weeks, like all exhausted Lebanese, I was overwhelmed with sadness... So, when I woke up two days ago to a flood of messages and ‘Mabrouks’ about the Oscars, I finally smiled! A lot of pride... and a great joy in these dark times,” she confides.

In an emotionally charged scene, Betty Taoutel lets her emotions flow under the omniscient eye of the camera. She confirms that this scene is very close to her personal experience: “I admit that during filming, I was going through an extremely difficult period on a personal level, made worse by everything we had endured: the economic collapse, the theft of our savings, and the August 4 explosion, where I literally saw my house and office in ruins... I had the impression — and unfortunately, it was true — that everything had been taken from me... especially my dreams.”

Another poignant scene highlights a confrontation between two sisters, portrayed by Betty Taoutel and Diamand Abou Abboud. They face each other as torn women, masking their respective shames and unleashing their emotions in an intense moment.

“This scene, like the one in front of the ruined house, was filmed in a single take. The emotional weight was so heavy that at the end, there was total silence on set... Director Mira Shaib didn’t even say ‘cut.’ We were in another state of mind. Of course, Diamand and I had rehearsed the dialogue in line with the camera movements before the famous ‘action’... but we only exorcised the characters’ pain and anger in that very moment. I don’t think we could have done it again.”

For Katy Younes, who plays Kinan’s girlfriend, the news of the movie representing Lebanon in the Oscar race was the cherry on top — a powerful message to the world that, against all odds, art will always prevail and serve as the authentic voice of its community. “I feel incredibly proud to be part of the Arzé family.”

Reflecting on the scene closest to her heart, Katy Younes states, “This entire movie holds a special place in my heart because it truly reflects who we are. Yet, the scene where Yasmine tells Kinan she’s leaving the country resonates deeply with me and my generation. It captures how this country has forced us to lose people and opportunities, how we bruise yet continue to survive because we are responsible for the choices we make that shape us. It has shifted our sense of stability and commitment in a place where fleeing often feels like the only option. It might be an unpopular opinion, but I love sad endings — I find hope and magic in them. They reveal people stripped bare: real and complex, vulnerable yet resilient. In this, I see a reflection of us.”

Hagop Derghougassian plays the role of an Armenian jeweler, embodying a typical character of Lebanon’s diverse mosaic. “The film truly presents a Lebanese mosaic. I enjoyed my role a lot,” he says, especially since he was well-acquainted with the team of actors and students. “I was puzzled about the framing and wondered how the editing would turn out, but the final result is superb. Mira Shaib is very talented.” He expresses his hopes for the Oscars, wishing for this Lebanese film to capture the attention of global audiences.

Arzé, named after the iconic Lebanese cedar, represents all Lebanese women. A woman among women, a symbol of resilience, Arzé embodies strength in vulnerability. Diamand Abou Abboud plays this role with the power of vulnerability, portraying her as a blessing or a transgression. She yields to divine, religious, and human laws, speaking their language.

Like all Lebanese mothers and sisters, Arzé carries her shield and faces life’s challenges with perseverance. Her resilient hands knead dough, hold jewels, cradle her son, and embrace her sister. Time stands still in the film during moments of farewell, eternal waiting, facing the ruined home, and in the sisters’ embrace... Arzé walks. She walks for those who turned back, for those who walked the same path before her and are no longer here. Arzé is the embodiment of resistance, incarnated as a woman, in the name of a cedar.

In an interview with This is Beirut in Paris, at the launch of the FFLF at IMA, Diamand Abou Abboud shared, “In playing Arzé, I reached deep within myself. Every Lebanese who has lived in Lebanon carries a part of this woman within them. I respect her profoundly. For the first time, given the current circumstances in the country, I felt so sad, unable to find the strength of this character. I felt vulnerable and defeated. But I had to regain her power and look towards light and life. Arzé embodies every Lebanese mother and woman. Throughout my performance, I made it my priority to protect her.”