Cinema

The Lebanese Independent Film Festival Starts Tomorrow!


A few weeks ago, the awesome folks at the Lebanese Independent Film Festival (LIFF) called me up to tell me I’ve been selected as one of their 12 jurors this year. Now, I’m by no means a film expert, but I’m definitely a movie buff and love independent movies. So, I graciously accepted. My selection as a juror doesn’t come from my acting or directing chops though, but because of my work in MARCH fighting censorship of movies and theater in Lebanon over the past few years.

Film festivals in Lebanon have historically been immune to the haphazard chopping board of Lebanon’s censors. Unfortunately, in the past couple of years, censorship against movies that include LGBT topics, political and historical events as well as religious themes have increased at an alarming rate. This is why festivals like LIFF are so important, and I’m happy that zero of the 250 movies have been banned or censored!

So, come and enjoy hundreds of amazing independently produced movies, from Lebanon and across the globe, for your viewing pleasure at an incredibly affordable price.

The Details

  • It’s happening July 12, 13 and 14 at Metropolis Cinema in Centre Sofil
  • More than 250 movies from 20 countries are scheduled to be screened
  • Tickets for a day-pass are just 5$ and a 2-day pass for all the movies are for just 10,000 LL
  • The opening night tomorrow is free of charge and open to the public, so come through!

RSVP Here

https://www.facebook.com/events/899995856848333/

The Jury

Includes experts and stars in their fields, and I’m happy to be with good friends of mine such as Wissam Kamal, Anis Tabet and Rita Hayek!

  • Rita Hayek
  • Christine Choueiri
  • Wissam Saliba
  • Elias Zayek
  • Chady Richa
  • Muriel Aboulross
  • Denise Jabbour
  • Rita Barotta
  • Wissam Kamal
  • Anis Tabet
  • Dineta Williams-Trigg
  • Gino Raidy

Awards Ceremony

The awards ceremony will be on Saturday at 8:00PM. I recommend you come to the opening on Thursday at 7:00PM, and the closing ceremony, and check the LIFF Facebook page to choose the movies you’d like to watch on all, 2 or 1 of the festival’s 3 days!

See you all there with a huge bucket of popcorn!

Talking Censorship, Spielberg and Freedom of Speech on Comic Stash


I’m a huge fan of Comic Stash, and adore that someone in Lebanon gets us actual comics that we can collect, or just simply enjoy reading. I’m kinda bummed my first appearance on Anthony Sargon’s web series was for a topic as horrible as censorship, but we ended up being pleasantly surprised by the ban of Spielberg’s The Post being reversed by the Interior Ministry! Congrats!

Here’s the episode if you’d like to know more about how censorship in Lebanon works, why it’s bad and what we should do about it.

Thanks for hosting me Anthony!