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“Karkha: A Village from Lebanon", a compelling 45-minute docu-drama has secured a Finalist status at Cannes World Film Festival, where a showcase of the best gems and must-see films from the world over takes place annually.
Created and produced by Public Matters Lebanon, supported by Charlie I. Hanna, from Karkha, directed by the idiosyncratic filmmaker Nassif Al Rayess and written by Julie BouChakra, the docu-drama is a series of episodes that focus on the waves of Lebanese immigration since the 19th century until today, under the title “Homes & Heroes”.
The first episode was supported by the Lebanese/American philanthropist and businessman Charlie Hanna, CEO of Cedar’s Foods who has been supporting diverse causes in many fields all over Lebanon like sports, humanitarian, educational, developmental and today artistic and cultural through this docu-drama.
The mission of the Cannes World Film Festival is to highlight a generation of emerging talents and filmmakers deserving greater visibility and Karkha has been selected among those films that deserve recognition.
The movie takes place in a small village in Southern Lebanon called Karkha. While unveiling a rich history of the region since the 1700s, the film builds an emotional journey with the audience all through the film. The significance is that all those who appear as actors are actually the locals from Karkha, whose naturalism and love for their land have spiced up the sense of realism in the storytelling.
In contrast to the conventional negative portrayal of Lebanon that is often depicted in global news and movies, this film delves into the positive elements in Lebanese communities and their resilience in all its forms throughout many generations.
Away from political and religious incitements, this movie is an inspirational one that reminds us of what matters most.
