Tag Archives | trailer

How Do Boycott Campaigns Work in Lebanon?

By Rami on May 30, 2017 in Movies, Politics

I remember at least two artists who were subject to online and offline boycott campaigns in Lebanon over the past few years due to their alleged support to Israel, Gad Elmaleh in 2009 and Lara Fabian in 2012. Gad Elmaleh was accused of serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (which wasn’t true) while Lara Fabian faced so much criticism for performing at an event to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel, and civil society groups of course tried to keep the two artists from performing in Lebanon.

Fast forward to the present, Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot is scheduled to start showing across Lebanese theaters on June 1st. However, Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress and model who first appeared as Wonder Woman in Batman VS Superman last year and her upcoming movie posters have been surprisingly all around the country for a while now! That’s not just any actress supporting Israel, that’s an Israeli actress who served as a combat trainer in the Israeli Defense Forces with her posters all around Lebanon.

I’m not writing this to call for the movie boycott. I personally love superhero movies and will definitely be watching Wonder woman. However, I’ve yet to hear about any call against screening it and in this case one can’t but wonder how do civil society activists choose which artists/projects to boycott or let pass. At one point you start doubting their campaigns could be sometimes fueled by business competition… International artists are all exposed to have a connection with Israel at some point during their career, which makes it easy for anyone to criticize them for the sole purpose of provoking those who are investing their money into getting such artists to perform in Lebanon.

Anyway, the movie is showing in two days so let’s see if any cyber activists will try to take a stance against it!

Update:

I just learned the Ministry of Economy and Trade demanded the General Security to withdraw the movie from Lebanese theaters. However, the questions I raised above still stand.

Film Ameriki Tawil is Coming Out in October

By Rami on September 5, 2016 in Cinema, Theater

film ameriki tawil

When Bennesbe Labokra Shou started showing earlier this year, M Media promised that Film Ameriki Tawil will hit the theater next, and they just released their trailer for it both on their website and on Facebook announcing that it is coming out in October.

Judging from the trailer and the footage they released earlier, the image quality seems to be significantly better and more stable than that of Bennesbe Labokra Shou.

I personally never get bored of listening to Film Ameriki Tawil on the radio and can’t wait for the release date. Let’s hope Shi Feshil is next on the list for M Media as I guess we are all eager to know how tiny was that gypsum waterfall in the play!

The trailer is available here and here.

Haifa Wehbe’s upcoming movie teaser – Halawet Rouh

By Rami on October 14, 2013 in Lebanon

Crazy cleavage aside, you can’t but spot the similarities between the teaser and the below two videos, a commercial for Martini Gold and Malena’s trailer.

Thanks to Labib El Choufani for highlighting the similarities.

New Lebanese movie – Habbet Loulou

By Rami on August 22, 2013 in Lebanon

In modern day Lebanon, in a country divided between those who have too little and those who have too much, three women try to defy their social labeling and incapability. “Habbet Loulou” is a story about illegitimate children, prostitution, and abortion. A heartfelt tale that streams from the veins running under the very streets of Lebanon.

Habbet Loulou is a new movie by Layal Rajha and will be out in cinemas on September 26th. You can check this Facebook page for more information about it.

I offered you pleasure – Another banned movie in Lebanon

By Rami on February 17, 2013 in Lebanon

“I offered you pleasure” is a short Lebanese movie by Farah Shaer that follows a shiite woman named Iman, who uses her religious right of performing pleasure marriage (zawaj el mot3a) to gather blessings for her late husband, and eventually creating a lot of controversy in her conservative surroundings.

As per this post by “STOP Cultural Terrorism in Lebanon” on Facebook, the movie seems to have been banned in Lebanon due to the fact that it tackles a sensitive subject after trying to submit it to two local film festivals and getting rejected.

“To all the people living in Beirut who wanted to watch the short film “I Offered You Pleasure” (وهبتك المتعة) of which I was the Director, I tell you this:

Unfortunately, the Lebanese Film Festival circuit seems is as corrupt as our governments, as we’ve presented the film to two local festivals & they both rejected the film.

On the other hand, the World’s Biggest Short Film Festival (Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival) chose it from more than 6150 entries from around the world (& as the only short film to represent Lebanon) …. It toured also to the biggest festival in Asia (Busan International Film Festival) & is now going on a tour between North Africa, Europe, & Latin America … but in Beirut…. well… what can we say… it’s a real shame … seems we will never be able to show it here…”

http://www.clermont-filmfest.com/index.php?&m=134&c=3&id_film=200027897&o=106

Trailer >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=limIyXVZ_Ys

So basically, you can make a movie about anything in Lebanon except politics and religion!

Taxi El-Balad

By Rami on February 24, 2012 in Lebanon

Yet another Lebanese movie!

On his 36th birthday, the underachieving Youssef finds himself alienated from his friends and family for being single, penniless and with no ambition; he leaves his small town and moves to Beirut to start anew. While living out of his car, relying on both his quick wit and a bulletproof
business plan, he obsesses about becoming the greatest taxi driver in
the city.

Prowling the streets at night in his impeccable 1966 Benz, he meets Jordan, a bored American pilates instructor working at a twenty four hour gym with no customers; both disillusioned with their careers and sharing a similar dissatisfaction with their personal lives, they form an unlikely bond. With his passion for telling stories of a past time, and her desire to hear them, together they cruise through the back alleys of Beirut celebrating hope, resilience, and the healing powers of storytelling.

Taxi El-Balad is coming to theaters on March 8 2012.

My last valentine in Beirut

By Rami on September 25, 2011 in Lebanon

T-GROUP PRODUCTIONS presents ‘My last valentine in Beirut’, the first feature film to be produced in 3D in the Arab region ever, with one of the highest production costs and biggest production team.

The movie will have a world wide release with professionally crafted plans of marketing mixes and distribution.
The people behind the movie offer decades of experience in the movie business, and master exciting edgy storytelling and visual side effects.

This movie will bring a unique movie experience to the middle east and worldwide as it will bring together the touching history and cultural heritage of the region, together with the latest international technologies in the movie business.

So far the trailer is getting so much negative comments on Youtube, to which the video uploader replied with the following.

To all people who are adding their comments, thank you, we respect your honest opinions. Nevertheless, for those of you who are trying to drag the movie into z PORN category: judging a movie which you have never seen from its trailer which is only for few minutes makes your comments irrelevant and unaccountable for, and doesn’t reflect what z movie is about but only what you think in general about Arab girls. I think you might want to look at the big picture.

To me, the trailer looked really cheap, and producers seem to be overusing sex to sell their movie, it’s even like they’re begging to have it banned like “Help”!

Anyway, regardless of the movie’s topic, why did it have to be shot in 3D?! Did they want Juliette’s figures to be as real as possible when people watch it?

Sorry Mom – A Lebanese thriller

By Rami on May 26, 2011 in Lebanon

A Lebanese thriller is soon coming to a theater near you!

The feature tells the story of a severely traumatized woman, after her husband was killed and her son kidnapped. 4 years has passed and her son Fadi is still lost.

Revenge has its own bitter taste and can easily turn into a vicious circle…

“Sorry Mom” is the first installment of a series of thrillers that are expected to be released in the near future.

I usually like to go watch Lebanese movies but several ones ended up as a big disappointment like “Falafel”. Let’s see how good will this one be with all the killing, sex, kidnapping, and betrayal it promises.

Sorry Mom will be released on June 9th.