BEIRUT 6:07 / AN ANTHOLOGY

An anthology TV series “Beirut 6:07” is a not-for-profit production that pays tribute to the immense casualties of the Beirut port blast through a succession of 15 short stories inspired by true events and real people.

Narrating various incidents that happened both prior to and after the explosions, each episode of “Beirut 6:07” is approximately 7 minutes long, each made by a different director, all of whom worked pro bono on the project.

VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION

For many, art is considered a form of catharsis, and every actor and crew member involved in this production have themselves been affected by the events of 4 August in some way. One actor involved XXX lost his own brother.

All voluntarily collaborated on the project, whilst all families of the actual victims have given their consent to adopt their story, some even participated in the development of the series.

Shot as standalone stories, each episode of “Beirut 6:07” will recount the story of a victim, survivor, or hero, through the eyes of a different director and cast.

IN THE WORDS OF THE FILMMAKERS

As outlined, 15 different directors are involved in the making of “Beirut 6:07”. Here’s more about their work in their own words.

Ingrid Bawab

“After one of the most traumatising experiences that I have lived in my life, the decision of being loud about what we went through was the mission of every Lebanese artist. We all used our skills to contribute to the conversation worldwide in the way we knew best. My way was to assemble a full team that worked day and night pro-bono to be able to tell our story and get the word out as a way to contribute to the large conversation happening worldwide about Beirut – and to contribute to keeping that conversation going.”

Mazen Fayad

“The world these days has become quick to forget when the news stops becoming a scoop. More so, the Lebanese people - due to their long history of suffering - are quick to forget and move on. What happens to these victims? To their families? Do they die in vain? We have a duty as filmmakers to keep their memory alive and remind everyone, that these people had lives, hopes and dreams that were stripped away from them through mere negligence. It could have been anyone. We honour our dead and hope to survive our grim future by taking a stand today. I am honoured to have partaken in this initiative. ‘Beirut 6:07’ is more than a production project, it is emotional and mental therapy.”

Karl Hadife

“I am both honoured and thankful to be working on the project. I helped as much as I could after the blast, but I felt like what I was doing was not enough. Construction is not my field of expertise. Being part of this project allowed me to contribute in a way that is way more personal and to offer my help using my language of choice, which is cinema.”

Caroline Labaki

“I am honoured and proud to be part of  ‘Beirut 6:07’, paying tribute to the victims of the devastating Beirut blast. As a filmmaker it was my way of giving back to the city that I love and cherish. I hope we have honoured it and its fallen heroes well.”

Emile Slailaty

"After the port blast, I felt extremely frustrated. I wanted to help in any way in the reconstruction of Beirut, so I took a broom and started cleaning houses and streets… But I wanted to help through my camera, but didn't know how. Surprisingly, at the right time came ‘Beirut 6:07’. The overall vibe and great intentions around the project have been helpful and healthy. The enthusiasm of the producers, directors and technical crew and their passion for Beirut was very contagious and we all just had one thing in mind: honouring the Lebanese capital and the heroes who rose after this blast. Their strong stories took the experience to another level, one that is intense humanly rich. I’m so thankful for this opportunity because it was the self-therapy I was searching for.”

Wassim Succar

“Following the explosion that hit Beirut, it became obvious to me that we, as a country, have reached our rock bottom. Some people hurried to ground zero to help, others took to the streets in revolt. Our collective anger and frustration kept on boiling and surfacing, manifesting differently in each one of us. For me, it was a breaking point, I felt crushed and helpless. Something had to be done, something needed to change. And so I went through the journey of doing what I do best.

“I have always believed in the power of cinema and storytelling, and now was the right time to use this power to convey the impact of the explosion to each viewer, hoping to awaken us from our deep oblivion.”

Sandrine Zaynoun

“Like many people, I experienced the explosion of 4 August; I lost my home, I almost lost my sister, and a lot of my friends were wounded and hurt. Two months on, and the investigation isn’t going anywhere. Evidence has been burnt, some people are still missing, and everyone around us seems to have already forgotten and are moving on with their lives. I chose to work on this project to remind everyone that the victims have stories and names, loved ones and homes, dreams and hopes and they should not be forgotten. The pain is real and very present, and it should remain in the headlines until we get to the truth.”

Directors

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