Variety is releasing the poster and teaser (below) for “La Mer et ses vagues,” which will world premiere in the ACID sidebar in Cannes later this month.
The Lebanese film, directed by Liana and Renaud, follows the young Najwa and the musician Mansour as they cross the Lebanese border and reach Beirut on a full moon night. They follow the trail of smugglers hoping to join a women, Haifa, on the other side of the sea. A few streets away, Selim, the old lighthouse keeper, tries to repair the electricity in his neighborhood.
The cast is led by Mays Mustafa, Roger Assaf, Mohammed Al Ammari and Hanane Hajj-Ali. The producer is Mathieu Mullier-Griffiths for Kafard Films. The co-producer is Monkey Business Virals.
Liana and Renaud say: “What we explore is this fragile link between drama and humor, between the charm and the craziness we can find in Beirut’s street.
“Through this film, maybe we try to understand why we, our friends, and more generally all people across Beirut, feel how the city hurts, in its history and moreover right now, and continues to create big open wounds.
“Our wish is to show on the big screen those invisible characters in life that would appear as giants, wounded giants, that talk and sing.”
Mullier-Griffiths says: “I remember Liana and Renaud took me in front of an old lighthouse surrounded by skyscrapers in Beirut. I think this place is the genesis of the film. Since the first script, I have been charmed by their combined gaze. At the same time sober and droll, delicately seeking flaws.
“We were still finishing ‘La Mer et ses vagues’ when we received the news of the ACID selection. As the producer, it’s the best place where the film could be. First feature, strong cinematography in Super 16mm with such a poetic atmosphere in the middle of Beirut. After 10 years of production, we feel honored to show the film finally to the industry, the press and cinema loving audiences.”
Liana and Renaud, who grew up in Beirut and France respectively, met in Paris in 2007, and moved to Beirut.