BAFF 2024: Stop War, a festival under the bombs

“It is in a Lebanon scarred by half a century of war that this 10th edition of the Beirut Art Film Festival – BAFF will be held, against all odds. » With these words full of tenacity, its artistic director Alice Mogabgab presents the BAFF of 2024 which has already been postponed and will take place between November 25 and December 6 at the Leïla Turqui amphitheater of the Oriental Library, with the assistance of the Institute of Scenic and Audiovisual Studies – IESAV of Saint-Joseph University. “Stop War”, “Let’s stop the war” is the cry uttered in unison by all the stakeholders of this festival, which has become over the years the unmissable meeting place for all lovers of art, architectural cinema and others. …in a word, culture. An edition which is held thanks to the support of its patrons, the Philippe Jabre Association and the Saadallah and Loubna Khalil Foundation, as well as sponsors, and in collaboration with even more numerous embassies for this edition which testifies to the return of Great Britain. Brittany absent for four years, Brexit obliges.

Twenty-five films, a conference and an exhibition

Lebanon and its situation, and Tripoli, the cultural capital of the Arab world which are the essence of the message of this festival, are highlighted at the opening and closing of the festival. It is also with an exhibition of photos by Hady Zaccak “Cinéma Tripoli. Archeology of a collective memory” – which, as its name suggests, plunges into the heart of the cinemas of Tripoli – which kicks off the festival, followed by the Lebanese premiere of the film Byblos Revealed, by director Philippe Aractingi on the latest discoveries on the Byblos site. “These are major revelations today for us Lebanese who are in total darkness at the moment, it’s great to see how archeology can bring back light, it’s worthy of a miracle,” exclaims Alice Mogabgab. Also scheduled that same day, a film by Hady Zaccak, Cilamaon the history of cinemas in Tripoli, a theme which was the subject of a book published three years ago.

The BAFF, which has built its programming according to the concept of one day per participating country, is offering two films from Great Britain on Tuesday, November 26: at 4 p.m., Resilient Man, by Stéphane Carrel, the story of a dancer who experienced a tragedy and who comes back from far away, a title which inevitably echoes the Lebanese tragedy, and at 6 p.m. for the first time, the theatrical recording of Macbeth, with Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma.

“Friendship towards Lebanon is particularly marked in this festival”, confides Alice Mogabgab who announces the participation of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura, the Instituto Cervantes, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland and Spain, faithful to this festival, present alongside Germany and Brazil, which are making their debut in the program, as well as Japan which is also returning after five years of absence. “Cinema is the pivotal axis of BAFF 2024, but also and above all, the cry of directors, artists, producers and the public who have joined forces with me to demand an end to the fighting,” declares Alice Mogabgab who adds that this is the very meaning of a committed festival which must carry the voice of those who compose it. “Everyone must demand an end to the fighting,” says the woman who refuses to comply, cancel or postpone this edition once again. “The country has been at war for 50 years, stop war! » insists the director of the BAFF. “We must overcome fear and renew trust with the human being who is capable of things other than destruction and violence in particular, of generating art and culture, in short, beauty,” says the one who invites you to enjoy a moment of grace and which also reveals, without revealing its content, that this festival will have a sequel and that BAFF at School will be relaunched in January 2025 and will continue until April of the same year.

Alice Mogabgab admits that she had no difficulty convincing her sponsors whose merits she praises. “The Lebanese are dynamic, enthusiastic, and the young people who invest and believe in Lebanon are fantastic, their products made in Lebanon are of high quality, and we are happy to have them as partners. » The BAFF, which promises to offer a serious breath of fresh air, also supports the USJ-Bourses Aimée Boulos Foundation for IESAV students, since the entirety of ticket sales and profits from snack sales will go to it. fully paid.

Among the screenings on the program, in addition to those devoted to the artists Giacometti, Le Corbusier, Fouad Elkoury, Arne Jacobsen, Jakub Jósef Orlinsk, we should mention that of Good! (2024) by Quetin Dupieux on Saturday November 30 at 6:30 p.m.; the filmic capture of the ballet Emma Bovary by Christian Spuck with the Berlin Staatsballett and the Berlin Opera Orchestra under the direction of Jonathan Stockhammer on Monday, December 2, as well as the documentary by Bahij Hojeij on the Oriental Library, on Thursday, December 5 at 4 p.m.

The closing of the BAFF will take place on Friday December 6 at 6 p.m., with the film by director Feyrouz Serhal And Maroun returned to Beirut, dedicated to the director Maroun Bagdadi on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of his death.

All screenings are unique. Tickets are on sale at the Antoine bookstore, on Antoine Ticketing and at the entrance to the amphitheater.

All BAFF programming is available here as well as on [email protected]