The film All Roads Lead to Rome, directed by Lara Saba, which will be released in theaters on December 15, is a “visual poem” that showcases the beauty of Lebanon to “contrast with the ugliness of this period”. It is a clean and spontaneous romantic comedy that provides a much-needed glimmer of hope for the Lebanese. Moreover, this simple, sweet, intelligent and positive film “appeals to the whole family and to audiences of all ages”. It does so “through comedy, without moralizing”, and encourages a return to nature and to values such as the simplicity of life, thanks to the “likeable characters”.
Before its release in Lebanon, in the Arab countries and in some Western countries, the film competed, from December 1to December 10, in the second edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival, organized in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the category “Arab Spectacular”.
The film, co-produced by ART and Wakanda films and supported by France’s Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC), tells the story of Hadi, a famous Lebanese actor shortlisted, with another Italian actor, for the young Pope part in an international film. In order to prepare for his meeting with the Pope, who will have the final say, Hadi heads to Qannoubine to get away from his hectic life. He stumbles upon a bunch of nuns who insist on hosting him in their monastery, where he meets a beautiful young woman, whose name is Celine. Here starts a journey of laughter, discoveries, love and connections to nature, to people, to his true self and to Celine, leading him to a real transformation.
Saba
Lara Saba, whose first feature “Blind Intersections” (2013) was the Lebanese entry to the Academy Awards Best Foreign Film section, explains that All Roads Lead to Rome, distributed by Cedars Art Production (Sabbah Brothers), is a funny and appealing romantic comedy that transports us far from the current atmosphere. Indeed, it seems that the Lebanese need more and more beauty to contrast with the ugliness of this period, and positivity to forget the despair that surrounds us.
According to her, All Roads Lead to Rome, written by Josephine Habchi and starring Chadi Haddad, Ruba Zaarour, Julia Kassar, Betty Taoutel, Myrna Moukarzel and Cynthia Karam, highlights, “through comedy, without moralizing”, man’s need “to return to nature, to the simplicity of life and to openness to others, in a world that is gradually moving away from these values.”
“In a nutshell, I want it to be an escapist entertainment but also a mix of character studies and food for thought as to our conscience of the world, of our path and of others”, she says.
She points out that her film, which also features actors such as Refaat Torbey, Nicolas Daniel, Hiam Abou Chedid, Charbel Ziadeh, Imad Feghali and Josyane Boulos, deals with these important issues, among others, through a “quality film that is accessible to a wide audience and that has all the elements to attract people to the theaters.”
She adds: “The film was shot in Qannoubine, which allowed us to show Lebanon beyond the boundaries of Beirut; In an area of unspoiled natural beauty, a spot of hidden peace and calming quiet.”
She also considers that besides “wonderful actors”, the valley is a “main character” in the film, stressing that her vision of the film is “a visual poem sustained by a beautiful love story, wonderful characters and a fantastic communal life evolving around cycles of nature.”
Habchi
Screenwriter Josephine Habchi, meanwhile, believes that All Roads Lead to Rome represents “beauty, authenticity, roots, earth, generosity, kindness, and inner peace”, adding that these are all “values that we do not want to lose along the way”. “All Roads Lead to Rome shows a set of values and principles that we are beginning to lose in our consumerist society” and allows us to find them “in a humorous, romantic and fluid way, without moralizing”.
Haddad
Chadi Haddad, who plays Hadi Najm, the protagonist, around whom all the events of the film revolve, says that “thanks to its compelling plot, All Roads Lead to Rome appeals to the whole family and to audiences of all ages and emphasizes the importance of returning to the simplicity and essence of life”, he notes, before adding, “It is true that this is a Lebanese film, but it speaks to all societies as we are all confronted with the fast pace and hustle of life. And oh how important it is for us to forget the chaos around us and run away in search of ourselves”, as Hadi did. “The film also reminds us of the values and traditions that are disappearing in all societies and countries”, he continues. “Its aim is to present a beautiful image of Lebanon despite the crises it has gone through and is still going through. In spite of everything, Lebanon remains a beautiful country.”
Kassar
Julia Kassar, who plays Mother Paola, liked the simplicity of the film when she read the script: “It is very simple, yet very intelligent. The characters are also really likeable”. According to her, “there is a great need for simple films that go straight to the heart and are devoid of violence and complexity”, noting that “this film is made with a lot of love, from the writing of the script to the acting and directing, which reflects on the final result”. She adds: “It is a romantic comedy that deals not only with a love story, but also with other issues that affect us all in a world where communication no longer exists, a world that has experienced disasters and where human values have disappeared.” “In my opinion, this poetic film allows the viewer to rediscover their humanity”, she observes.
Taoutel
Betty Taoutel, who plays the part of Sister Marie-Bernard, believes that “what characterizes these nuns, , besides their vices and virtues, is their humanity”, underlining the importance of “the spiritual side of these characters. Because of their relationship with God, their humanity manifests itself positively, and their flaws are not harmful.”
She considers that “the script is full of love” and describes All Roads Lead to Rome as a “clean comedy that includes values related to the simplicity of life that we have lost a long time ago because we live in a consumerist and fast society that wants to cut corners”. “It is also a family comedy, a genre that we have not seen on the screens for some time. It does not include any vulgar or offensive scenes for the eyes and ears, and respects the intelligence of the audience”, she says before adding: “All Roads Lead to Rome is a respectable film with very likeable characters.”
Moukarzel
For Myrna Moukarzel (sister Gaby), what characterizes All Roads Lead to Rome is “that it appeals to the whole family. This film puts a smile on the faces of all those who watch it, from the beginning to the end”, adding that: “It brings us back to nature and the beautiful landscapes of Lebanon.”
Karam
Cynthia Karam, who plays Sister Celestine, says that “the presence of the nuns is a breath of fresh air in the film, and the setting in which it was shot is splendid”. She concludes that “the film is sweet, and we need these kinds of films to keep us entertained, especially since we are going through a very difficult time.”
Zaarour
Ruba Zaarour, who plays the character of Celine, a young woman who left France, where she worked in a large company, to get away from her fast-paced life and try to find herself by spending some time in the Qannoubine monastery, believes that “despite its simplicity, the film conveys a message and shows the importance of nature in our lives and the importance of returning to a simple life.” “Filming took place in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. We were all in lockdown and had to slow down our pace and refocus (…) Each of us has discovered, in our own way, that life is not about fame, competition and material things, and that nature shows us the simplicity of life”, she explains. For her, the film “takes place in a comical setting that holds deep meaning and is full of romance. Here, romance does not mean love at first sight or being attracted to the person’s physical appearance. Rather, it is a search for self, an intellectual communication, as each party helps the other to achieve their purpose in life.”
Funding
Funding this film was a challenge because of all the crises Lebanon was going through. It was shot in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by the Beirut port explosion. In addition, the collapse of the Lebanese economy made it very difficult to access private funds.
However, the difficulties were not limited to funding. The filming was interrupted twice, with the need for reshoots, following August 4th and cases of Covid-19 among the cast. These interruptions and reshoots increased the budget by 10%.