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The Sea and Its Waves

La Mer et ses Vagues

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North American Premiere

Unfolding like a nocturnal film poem, The Sea and Its Waves follows a brother and sister as they make their way through an almost vacant Beirut, biding time until they can catch a boat out of the country to reunite with the brother’s bride waiting for them in Norway. Over the course of the night, they encounter a series of mysterious locals roaming the streets, each revealing a slice of cultural context that speaks to the greater socioeconomic malaise. Yet the cryptic exchanges are infused with a lyrical cadence that seduces with its prophetic allure. Liana & Renaud’s atmospheric feature debut is a loving ode to Beirut, adopting the language of transcendental cinema to capture a sense of deep collective wounding. Bathed in moonlight and flickering city lights, it is a visually arresting piece that weaves thoughtfully composed observational sequences with pointed surrealist touches and unexpected musical flourishes echoing haunting regional melodies.

 

Presented by

Directors
Cast

Roger Assaf, Hanane Hajj-Ali, Mays Mustafa, Mohammed Ammari, Sasseen Kawzali

Credits
Country of Origin

Lebanon/France

Year

2023

Series

Vanguard

Language

In Arabic with English subtitles

Film Contact
18+
83 min
Art, Music & Photography Drama Women Directors

Book Tickets

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Credits

Producer

Mathieu Mullier-Griffiths, Alexandre Singer

Screenwriter

Liana Kassir, Renaud Pachot

Cinematography

Mark Khalife

Editor

Chaghig Arzoumanian

Original Music

Zeid Hamdan, Mohamed Al Ammari

Art Director

Cynthia Tannous

Directors

Liana Kassir & Renaud Pachot joint headshot

Liana Kassir & Renaud Pachot

Liana Kassir grew up in Beirut, Renaud Pachot in the French countryside. Raised in the early years of 2000 by the films of their respective video clubs, they met in Paris in 2007. At the end of their studies, they bought an Aaton Super 16mm camera and settled in Beirut. The Sea and Its Waves is their first dramatic feature film.

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