A press conference was held yesterday at the Metropolis-Empire-Sofil to announce the 3rd edition of the Beirut Art Film Festival (BAFF) in the presence of the British ambassador Hugo Shorter, the Belgian Ambassador Alex Lenaerts, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Spanish Embassy Ricardo Santos, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Switzerland Elisabeth Gilgen, the cultural attaché at the United States Embassy Kristin Smith, the director of the Italian Cultural Institute Dr. Edoardo Crisafulli, the Cultural attaché at the French Embassy Eric Lebas, founder of the Beirut Art Film Festival Alice Mogabgab Karam, members of the committee Maria Chakhtoura and Nadine Mokdessi, as well as representatives of partner institutions.
The third edition, that will take place from 6 to 25 November, is under the theme of Freedom: Freedom to testify, Freedom to inquire, Freedom to create, Freedom to live!
In her speech, Alice Mogabgab Karam introduced the Beirut Art Film Festival that was created three years ago, at a transitional moment when the massive destruction of the region’s national heritage had reached a critical point. She added: « Given the mission that we have set ourselves, and in parallel with the monstrous and tragic loss of human life, we believe it is important to share the awareness we gained back then of the cultural, architectural, archaeological and patrimonial riches with which the Middle East abounds, and of the sad reality of their eradication. This urgency of ours turned out to actually meet a genuine expectation from the Lebanese audience. Everything happens for a reason! »
From its inception, the Beirut Art Film Festival has been committed to support the work of other Lebanese researchers, filmmakers, NGOs, artists and archaeologists – and to help rouse and mobilize young people around the country on the subject of our heritage; a key vehicle for living together, for the destiny of this country and its message to the world.
Unique in its concept and original in its implementation, the Beirut Art Film Festival is not a competition. It does not offer any laurels; it is a complete month dedicated to art with the best selection of television and cinema’s productions worldwide!
BAFF in two stages
- From 14 to 19 November 2017, BAFF Intramuros takes over the Metropolis-Empire-Sofil’s two cinema auditoriums for the national premiere of fifty documentaries: From Jerôme Bosh to David Hockney, from Bach to Oum Kalthoum, from Hollywood to the Beatles…
- From 6 to 25 November 2017, BAFF Extramuros sets out to meet the public audience outside of the capital, organising more than 150 screenings in schools, universities, cultural centres, etc.
For three years now, BAFF has grown due to the combined generosity of loyal Lebanese and international patrons – and a group of dynamic and motivated volunteers, wholeheartedly led by Alice Mogabgab.
BAFF is not a festival cloistered in its ivory tower. Far from it! For art only touches the heart if and when it engages in the human and social life of the city in which it develops. BAFF therefore partners with “community‟ artists, giving 4 evening events at 4 Lebanese NGOs, whose credo is solidarity: AFEL, Brave Heart, Myschoolpulse and CAP-HO.
BAFF INTRAMUROS
The opening ceremony, under the patronage of the Minister of Culture Dr. Ghattas Khoury, and in collaboration with the Italian Embassy, takes place Tuesday 14 November at 7:00 pm at the Metropolis-Empire-Sofil with the documentary Michelangelo, Love and Death (EOS – David Bickerstaff, 2017, 91‟) attended by the cultural partners and festival guests.
More than 50 documentaries will be screened around the following themes:
- Archaeology, a colossal heritage
- Let’s dance, sing and play music
- Fine arts forever
- With pens and inks
- Cinema and stars
Full program at www.bafflebanon.org
BAFF closes its 3rd edition on Sunday 19 November at 8.45 pm with the film Manifesto (Julian Rosefeldt, 2017, 95‟). Cate Blanchett embodies thirteen different characters in a series of monologues drawn up from famous statements by 20th century artists.
BAFF EXTRAMUROS
BAFF @ School opens the festival’s 3rd edition from 6 to 10 November 2017 with Les aventures de Tintin au pays du Cèdres. A voluntary committee ensures the projection of the documentary Hergé à l’ombre de Tintin (Hugues Nancy, 2016, 81‟) in sixty private and state schools across the country.
BAFF 4 Youth, from 20 to 24 November, sets out to meet young university students in the 13 Lebanese universities. More than sixty screenings are on the program, as well as several masters class.
In parallel with this cultural initiative, the BAFF organizers, supported by their patrons, launched the competition for the best visual for the festival among students in the third year of advertising and graphic art of the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts in Beirut. The two posters of this 3rd edition are the fruits of this contest. The winners are Lynn Hadid and Kay Samaha for the 1st Prize, and Caroline Khoury for the 2nd Prize.
In 2018, the competition will be open to students from all Lebanese universities.
BAFF (loves) Lebanon, screening of various documentaries on Saturdays November 11, 18 and 25 in 15 cultural centers in the region, to bring art and cinema closer to the Lebanese.
Hats off 2017
The BAFF Hats off is awarded this year to Hady Zaccak, a Lebanese filmmaker and documentarist. With his camera Hady Zaccak explores Lebanese people’s relationship with their history, filmmakers’ critical look on the Lebanese wars, as well as Lebanese intellectuals’ look on the transformation of Beirut.
Lebanese cultural heritage is also at the heart of this edition of BAFF with daily screenings of seven short films.
The Patrons of the Beirut Art Film Festival
Bankmed Group – MedSecurities Investment, The Robert A. Matta Foundation, The Alexis & Anne-Marie Habib Foundation, Embassy of the United States in Lebanon
Cultural Partners
Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Tourism, British Embassy Beirut, Embassy of Switzerland in Lebanon, Embassy of Spain in Lebanon, Embassy of Belgium in Lebanon, Embassy of the United States in Lebanon, Italian Cultural Institute, Institute of the Arab World, Institut français du Liban, Goethe-Institut Libanon, the Institute of Arab and Mediterranean Cultures
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