A Celebration of Cinema Without Borders
The 18th edition of the Beirut International Film Festival (2019) showcased 42 films from around the world, celebrating cinema's power to transcend boundaries. The festival featured films across four sections: Panorama, Documentary, Short Films, and Rejection Front.
The festival featured special screenings, masterclasses, and Q&A sessions with renowned directors and actors. The Opening Night featured Paolo Sorrentino's "Loro 1" while the closing film was "Loro 2" by the same director.
Award Winners Announced
The international jury, consisting of Christelle Younes, Elie Fahed, and Pierre Abou Jaoude, announced the following award winners:
Feature Films: "McQueen" by Ian Bonhôte & Peter Ettedgui won the Audience Vote for Best Feature Film.
Documentary Awards: "Facing Death with Wire Cutter" by Sarwar Abdullah won Best Documentary. "Lotus" by Mohammadreza Vatandoust received Best Director Documentary, while "El Pianist: Musician in The Time of Sahwa" by Hassan Madlough was awarded the Special Jury Prize for Documentary.
Short Film Awards: "Wasati" by Ali Kalthami from Saudi Arabia won the SGBL Award for Best Short Film. "The All Seeing Blind" by Nuri Cihan Ozdogan from Turkey took 2nd Best Short Film, and "Ablution" by Omar Al Dakheel won 3rd Best Short Film.
The festival's commitment to showcasing diverse voices and stories from the Middle East and beyond was evident in this year's award selection, with winning films from Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Iran, Turkey, and the UK.