Arzé (Arabic: أرزة) is a Lebanese comedy drama directed by Mira Shaib in her feature directorial debut. The film stars Diamand Abou Abboud, Betty Taoutel, and Bilal Al Hamwi.
| Arzé | |
|---|---|
 Film poster featuring Diamand Abou Abboud | |
| Directed by | Mira Shaib |
| Written by | |
| Produced by |
|
| Cinematography | Heyjin Jun |
| Edited by | Hisham Saqr |
| Music by | Hany Adel |
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | Lebanon |
Plot edit
Arzé, a single mother, is determined to buy her son a used scooter so he can help her deliver the mouth-watering pies she bakes, her only source of income. To make this happen, she steals and pawns her sister's bracelet–which may or may not have been a good idea.
But alas, the scooter is stolen! And when the police are useless–it's Lebanon after all–Arzé takes matters into her own hands and drags her reluctant son all over Beirut in search of the missing scooter.
Arzé and her son quickly find themselves embroiled in a long journey full of twists and turns as they navigate the sectarianism and chaos of Beirut. To blend in with each neighborhood they visit, Arzé gets creative and puts on a whole disguise. She's a chameleon, changing her accent, donning a hijab or a Christian cross, and even giving Kinan a new name. She'll do anything to find the scooter.
The quest is long and frustrating. As tensions rise and family secrets are revealed, finding the scooter is at stake and so is the unity of Arzé's family.
Cast edit
- Diamand Abou Abboud as Arzé
- Betty Taoutel as Layla
- Bilal Al Hamwi as Kinan
- Shaden Fakih as Dina
- Hagop Der Ghougassian as Sevag
- Junaid Zeineldine as Noor
- Fouad Yammine as Nicolas
- Fadi Abi Samra as Joseph
- Tarek Tamim as Saadeddine
- Elie Mitri as Junkyard Owner
- Joyce Nasrallah as Odette
- Saad Kadri as Ahmad
- Ibrahim Ajami as Ali
- Mounir Challita as Mandoor
- Kathy Youness as Yasmine
Development edit
The film is written and produced by Louay Khraish and Faissal Sam Shaib.[1] The script, by Faissal Sam Shaib and Louay Khraish, was an Official Finalist in the First Time Screenwriter Competition at the 2018 Amsterdam Film Festival Van Gogh Awards[2]
After being signed on the project, Mira Shaib and Producer Zeina Badran were selected in 2018 to Film Independent's Global Media Makers LA Residency where they developed the project.[3] In 2019, the film was among only six Arabic projects selected to the inaugural Red Sea Lodge,[4][5][6] which was in collaboration with the TorinoFilmLab.[7][8] The film, originally titled, I Am Arzé, was among the first recipients of the Red Sea Film Festival Foundation Production Fund.[9][10]
Production edit
Film production was delayed due to the mass protests in Beirut and later the pandemic, but shooting eventually took place at the end of 2022, albeit during the worst financial crisis Lebanon had witnessed.[11]
Release edit
The film had its world premiere in Beijing and its North American premiere in Tribeca.[12] The film was initially selected to premiere in the Official Competition of the 45th Cairo International Film Festival,[13] but the festival was canceled due to the Israel-Hamas War.[14]
Festivals edit
| Festival | Date of ceremony | Section | Award | Result | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tribeca Festival | June 5-16, 2024 | In Competition | Viewpoints | Nominated | North American Premiere | [15] |
| Beijing International Film Festival | April 18–26, 2024 | In Competition | Future Forward | Nominated | World Premiere | [16] |
| Cairo International Film Festival | November 15-24, 2023 | In Competition | Golden Pyramid | Nominated | Official selection at CIFF but festival was postponed.[17] | [18] |
References edit
- ^ "Egyptian-Lebanese Film 'Arze' to Participate in Tribeca Festival". Egypt Today. 20 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ "2018 AMSTERDAM FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES AWARDS". FilmFestivals.com. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ "Film Independent's Global Media Makers Program Expands to Include South Asian Talent". Hollywood Reporter. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (1 October 2019). "Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Festival Announces Projects in Development". Variety. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ Nasr, Nahedd (4 October 2022). "Parting the Sea". Al Ahram English. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Melanie, Goodfellow (1 October 2019). "Saudi's Red Sea International Film Festival unveils debut lab selection". Screen Daily. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ "Hind Alfahhad's 'Sharshaf' wins $500,000 film production grant". Saudi Gazet. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ "Saudi, Arab winners of $500k film production grants revealed". Arab News. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (6 September 2021). "Red Sea International Film Festival unveils first recipients of $14m fund". Screen Daily. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick. "Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Film Festival Reveals Grants For Upcoming Arab Films, Including Toronto-Bound 'Farha'". No. 6 Septembere 2021. Variety. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (17 April 2024). "'Arzé' Trailer: Beirut Drama About Single Mother's Quest To Retrieve Scooter Headed To Tribeca". Deadline. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ Bergesen, Samantha (17 April 2024). "Tribeca Film Festival 2024 Line Up". Indie Wire. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ Mustafa, DJ Kamal (4 October 2023). "45th Cairo Film Fest to feature 24 Egyptian and Arab films". Broadcast Pro. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (18 October 2023). "Cairo Film Festival Canceled Due to Israel-Hamas War". Variety. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ Dunn, Jack (17 April 2024). "Tribeca Festival Reveals 2024 Feature Film Lineup Including New Movies With Lily Gladstone, Jenna Ortega and Michael Cera". Variety. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ ""Arzé" by Mira Shaib and" Back To Alexandria" by Tamer Ruggli compete at the Beijing International Film Festival". 1 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ ""أرزة" فيلم لبناني جديد من بطولة دياموند أبو عبود وبيتي توتل" [Arzé, A New Lebanese Film] (in Arabic). 19 August 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ "45 CIFF Announces Lineup of Feature Films". 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
