Kobayat hosted nearly 3,000 participants at the REEF Gatherings 2024 from July 26 to 28. Focused on biodiversity and human diversity, this sixth edition inaugurated the Biodiversity and Cinema program with the premiere of eight films.
Various activities, poignant conferences, and film screenings marked the REEF Gatherings 2024, enhancing awareness of the region’s ecological and sociopolitical issues. For the second consecutive year, the REEF Ambassadors program brought together young people aged 12 to 17. These youths attended sessions on biodiversity and biomimicry, as well as film criticism workshops. At the closing session, they expressed their gratitude, affirming that the activities had positively influenced their thinking, knowledge, and culture.
REEF 2024 also addressed ongoing conflicts through a conference-debate and thematic films. The concert by singer Salwa Jaradat moved the audience, symbolizing resilience and cultural heritage.
The 2024 Laureates
Eight international films were selected for the annual short film competition, evaluated by the REEF audience, a professional jury, and the amateur jury of REEF Ambassadors.
The professional jury, composed of Soleil Gharbieh, Michelle Kesserwany, Betty Taoutel, Marc Beyrouthy, and Carlos Naffah, awarded the main prize to L’arbre de l’enfer by Raed Zeno. This film, supported by the ‘Organisation internationale de la Francophonie’ (OIF), was praised for its ingenious parallel between an invasive species and colonization policies, highlighting the links between environmental and political issues.
The jury also gave a special mention to Horizon by Moussa Shabandar and Shérine Raffoul for its positive and nuanced ecological message.
In the short film competition, Manity by Hussein Ibrahim won the professional jury prize, evoking the pressures faced by many Lebanese men to prove their masculinity through hunting. The Chinese film Xiaohui and His Cow by Xinying Lao received a special mention for its subtle portrayal of the mother-son relationship and the personal and environmental separations.
The REEF Ambassadors’ prize, sponsored by the British Council, was awarded to The Revenge of Nature by Kim Elias Majdalani. This film, about nature reclaiming its territory after a Lebanese train station was abandoned, enriched the young ambassadors’ knowledge of the Lebanese ecosystem.
The audience prize also went to L’arbre de l’enfer by Raed Zeno, underscoring the evocative power of this film among all three panels.
Key Highlights and Figures of REEF 2024
REEF 2024 brought together nearly 3,000 participants and offered a variety of activities:
– 270 people participated in guided hikes in the natural sites of Akkar.
– 40 people explored Kobayat with a local guide.
– 21 films were screened over three days.
– 27 people learned the basics of upcycling with Rytta Couture.
– 10 people explored new potato recipes.
– 16 young people participated in the second edition of the REEF Ambassadors program.
– Over 600 people attended rural dinners celebrating the culinary traditions of Akkar women.
– Over 200 people participated in the conference-debate.
– The French Institute exhibition showcased 25 photographs of the Lebanese ecosystem.
– An exhibition combining comics and ecology helped raise funds to renovate the Kobayat watchtower, which helps prevent forest fires.
The REEF Gatherings 2024 celebrated the richness of biodiversity and human diversity while raising awareness of the region’s ecological and sociopolitical challenges.
