The opening of the 3rd edition of Beirut Art Film Festival (BAFF) was held yesterday at the Metropolis-Empire-Sofil, under the high patronage of the Minister of Culture Dr. Ghattas Khoury, and in the presence of the British Ambassador Hugo Shorter, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Beirut Edward White, the First Counselor at the Italian Embassy Simona De Martino, 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 French Embassy Eric Lebas and the organizers Alice Mogabgab Karam, Maria Chakhtoura, Nadine Mokdessi, Pierre Sarraf, Souraya Karam and Alia Karam, as well as representatives of partner institutions and festival guests.
The kickoff of the 3rd edition included the projection of Michelangelo, Love and Death directed by David Bickerstaff. The film takes a cinematic journey through the great chapels and museums of Florence, Rome and the Vatican; in the print and drawing rooms of Europe to explore the tempestuous life of Michelangelo.
During her opening speech, Alice Mogabgab Karam declared: “Let’s break isolation by embracing the world’s cultures and celebrating the best of humanity!”
BAFF in two stages
The BAFF Intramuros takes over the Metropolis-Empire-Sofil’s two cinema auditoriums until November 19, with a selection of fifty documentaries around the following themes: Fine Arts, Architecture, Archeology, Dance, Music and Cinema.
Lebanon is at the heart of this 3rd edition with:
- Hats off to Hady Zaccak who features six documentaries about Lebanese heritage including: Beirut… Points of View (2000, 32’), Cinéma de guerre au Liban (2003, 29’) and Le Liban à travers le cinéma (2003, 15’)
- Documentaries: Saving Hasbaya (Bahij Hojeij, 2004, 12’), Sidon, métropole de l’Orient (Nicolas Khoury, 2017, 4’) and Jeita (Rami Kodeih, Al Jazeera, 2016, 25’)
- Films presented by the The Robert A. Matta Foundation
The closing ceremony of BAFF Intramuros will be on November 19 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.
The screenings program is available on: www.bafflebanon.org
Tickets: Virgin Ticketing BoxOffice 01.999666 / www.ticketingboxoffice.com
The BAFF Extramuros which sets out to meet the public audience outside of the capital, organizing more than 150 screenings in schools, universities, cultural centers, started with BAFF @ School, which took place from 6 to 10 November with the screening of the documentary Hergé à l’ombre de Tintin (Hugues Nancy, 2016, 81’) in more than 100 schools in all regions of Lebanon.
The BAFF Extramuros program also includes:
BAFF 4 Youth, from 20 to 24 November, set 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 with partner universities: Haigazian University, Université Antonine, Université Saint-Joseph, University of Balamand, ALBA, Notre Dame University, Lebanese American University, Université Saint Esprit Kaslik, Beirut Arab University, American University of Beirut, and Lebanese University.
BAFF (loves) Lebanon, screening of various documentaries on Saturday November 18 and 25 in 15 cultural centers in the region, to bring art and cinema closer to the Lebanese. The partner cultural centers are: Safadi Cultural Center, Le Sérail Municipal – Bikfaya, Jezzine Hub, Marjeyoun Youth Club, Milad Al Ghazal Cultural Center, Palmyra Hotel – Baalbeck, Institut Culturel Français – Deir El Qamar, Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture – Zouk Mikael avec l’IF de Jounieh, Cinema Stars – Nabatiyeh, Centre Culturel Municipal – Byblos, Kahwetna Café with March Association – Tripoli, Cinéma Douma, Comité Culturel – Zgharta, Médiathèque de l’Institut Français – Tripoli, Fondation Audi – Musée du Savon – Saida.
The screenings program of BAFF 4 Youth and BAFF (loves) Lebanon is available on: www.bafflebanon.org. Free entrance.
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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