The Beirut Art Film Festival will run from November 25 to December 6 at the Bibliothèque Orientale, featuring 25 films, an exhibition, and conferences. This year’s event celebrates art as a powerful act of resilience and a universal call for peace under the theme Stop War.
The Beirut Art Film Festival will run from November 25 to December 6 at the Bibliothèque Orientale, featuring 25 films, an exhibition, and conferences. This year’s event celebrates art as a powerful act of resilience and a universal call for peace under the theme Stop War.
Having postponed the announcement of its program in October due to Lebanon's ongoing challenges, the Beirut Art Film Festival, under the direction of Alice Mogabgab, returns with its 10th edition. The festival will take place at the Leïla Turqui Amphitheater of the Bibliothèque Orientale, in collaboration with the Institute for Scenic and Audiovisual Studies (IESAV) at Saint Joseph University (USJ). This year’s theme, Stop War, places Lebanon at the heart of a rich and dynamic cultural program.
This year’s festival offers a selection of 25 films, complemented by conferences, filmmaker discussions, and an exhibition. The carefully curated program emphasizes the exploration of cultural heritage and artistic resilience.
"No to War!"
Amid the violence disrupting Lebanon, the Beirut Art Film Festival (BAFF) stands as a committed cultural voice, embodying solidarity and continuity. Despite initial delays, the festival returns with the same determination to showcase the boundless creativity of international artists and the unyielding dedication of Lebanese intellectuals to preserve their cultural heritage. This cultural statement aligns with the increasingly vocal cry of the Lebanese people: "No to war!"
From Chandigarh to London, São Paulo to Berlin, Copenhagen to Baghdad, Brussels to Tokyo, and Paris to Byblos, artists, filmmakers, producers, and writers are joining Lebanon’s struggle through BAFF. Their works transcend borders, uniting cultures in a collective call for peace and solidarity.
Lebanon Takes Center Stage in the Opening and Closing Events
Lebanon is at the forefront of this year’s programming. Supported by the Philippe Jabre Association, the Saadallah and Loubna Khalil Foundation, and Khalil Wardé SAL, BAFF’s opening day on Monday, November 25, will feature the exhibition Cinema Tripoli: Archaeology of a Collective Memory and a selection of films highlighting the country’s cultural and historical heritage.
The festival will conclude on Friday, December 6, with the screening of Wa Ada Maroun Ila Beirut (Maroun Returns to Beirut), a poignant film reflecting Lebanon’s history and resilience. These significant choices illustrate BAFF’s commitment to preserving Lebanon’s cultural identity while amplifying the collective call for peace.
Saturday, November 25, 2024
The festival opens with the exhibition Cinema Tripoli: Archaeology of a Collective Memory (photographs by Hady Zaccak) at 4 p.m., running until December 6 in the library gallery. The day also features screenings of Byblos, Revealed (2024) by Philippe Aractingi at 5 p.m., with an introduction by the director, and Cilama (2023) by Hady Zaccak at 7 p.m., followed by a discussion with the filmmaker.
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Screenings include Resilient Man (2023) by Stéphane Carrel at 4 p.m., and Shakespeare’s Macbeth (2024) by Tim van Someren at 6 p.m., with Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma. The screening includes a 15-minute intermission.
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Screenings: L’Amatore (2017) by Maria Mauti at 4 p.m., followed by a discussion with the director, and Green Over Gray: Emilio Ambasz (2023) by Francesca Molteni and Mattia Colombo at 6:30 p.m., with a post-screening discussion.
Thursday, November 28, 2024
The lineup includes Iraq's Invisible Beauty (2023) by Jurgen Buedts and Sahim Omar Kalifa at 4 p.m., followed by a live-streamed conference from Brussels titled René Magritte: Beware, a Magritte May Hide Another, presented by art historian Vincent Cartuyvels at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, November 29, 2024
I, Giacometti (2023) by Susanna Fanzun at 4 p.m., followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, and The Power of Utopia: Living with Le Corbusier in Chandigarh (2023) at 6:30 p.m., accompanied by a conversation with the filmmakers and Dr. Joseph Rustom, director of the Bibliothèque Orientale.
Saturday, November 30, 2024
The day features La Singla (2023) by Paloma Zapata at 4 p.m., with a post-screening discussion with the director, and Daaaaaalí! (2024) by Quentin Dupieux at 6:30 p.m., introduced by Sorbonne doctoral candidate Sissi Baba.
Monday, December 2, 2024
Skin of Glass (2023) by Denise Zmekhol at 4 p.m., followed by a discussion, and Emma Bovary (2024), a ballet performance captured in Germany, at 6:30 p.m., introduced by Sissi Baba.
Thursday, December 5, 2024
Screenings include The Bibliothèque Orientale: A Heritage Revealed (2024) by Bahij Hojeij at 4 p.m., followed by a discussion, and Jakub Jósef Orlinski: Music for a While (2023) by Martin Mirabel at 5:45 p.m.
Friday, December 6, 2024
The closing event features Wa Ada Maroun Ila Beirut (Maroun Returns to Beirut) (2024) by Feyrouz Serhal at 6:30 p.m., with a post-screening discussion with the director.
A Festival for Education and Solidarity
Tickets are priced at 300,000 LL and available via Antoine Ticketing or at the amphitheater entrance. All proceeds, including revenue from sponsor-offered snacks, will be donated to the USJ Foundation for Aimée Boulos Scholarships, supporting IESAV students.
For more information, visit www.beirutartfilmfestival.org
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