Damascus Underground

  • Cinema Nova

Damascus Underground - film night

Stars in Broad Daylight – Ossama Mohammed – 1988, 101’, AR subtitles in EN
Winner of the first prize at the Festival of Valencia and at the International Festival of Rabat, the film explores the toxic effect of totalitarianism on ordinary Syrians, as seen through the internal battles of a dysfunctional family. Funny, violent, and blunt, Stars in Broad Daylight is definitely one of the masterpieces of the Syrian film heritage.

Short films
In this session we offer a selection of short films representative of the work of directors and collectives of independent Syrian artists that are very engaged since 2011. From inside Damascus, Reem Al-Ghazzi shows us some of her 'Diaries', very short – and very poetic – film essays, made between 2012 and 2014, and a film by the Peace Lens collective. Since 2015, the latter has been trying to contribute to the reconstruction of a Syrian visual identity through workshops on documentary cinema. We also present you the work of Ammar al-Beik ('ex-artist and ex-footballer', as he likes to describe himself), as well as that of anonymous collective Waw Al Wassel and Anna Banout. This ultra subjective choice is an invitation to explore films and images that will surprise you with their aesthetics and discourse. A totally underground selection:

Diaries, Reem Al-Ghazzi, Syrie, 2012-2014, AR subtitles in EN
2000 Watt, Light in the Rear , Peace Lens, Syrië, 2018, AR subtitles in EN
La Dolce Siria, Ammar al-Beik, 2015, AR subtitles in EN
My Ear Can See, Ammar Al Beik, 2002, AR subtitles in EN
identity: other, Anna Banout, 2016, EN
Syria 2087, Ana Bannout, 2017, EN
The Boot, Waw Al Wassel, 2013

CURATED BY JUMANA AL-YASIRI
icw Nova & Moussem