Check Out The Amazing Initiative Bringing Lebanese Cinema To Remote Villages

A passion project come to life, meet Cinema For All. Cinema For All is a wonderful local initiative that was co-founded by director Mira Shaib and producer Zeina Badran, two young and talented filmmakers on a mission to make Lebanese cinema accessible for everyone. Considering the fact that they are both in the industry, it was not surprising to learn that cinema played a huge role in their upbringing and is part of their fondest childhood memories. Upon realizing that people around the country did not have equal access to the silver screens, they decided to take it upon themselves to offer up a simple but effective solution: bringing the screens to the people. With great ambition and a whole lot of diligence, the spirited duo reached out to different entities seeking funds for this project and within just a few months, Cinema For All was born. In collaboration with Tripoli Film Festival and Global Media Makers, Cinema For All kicked off this past Saturday August 17 and Sunday August 18 in the beautiful Lebanese village of Ain Ebel in the south. For two consecutive days, the people of Ain Ebel attended film-making workshops during the day and Lebanese film screenings at night. Together, they watched Mahbas (Solitaire) – directed by Sophie Boutrous – and The Swing – directed by Cyril Ariss. The Beirut.com team was in attendance, and we were so thrilled to see that so many locals were interested in this project; from teenagers and youngsters to anyone and everyone. They all gathered in the town’s church courtyard where CFA had set up a massive screen, and munched on popcorn while they lived a true cinematic experience right in their small village. We hope that this is only the beginning for CFA, which aims to introduce Lebanese cinema and the art of film-making to remote areas around the country. Their goal is to shed light on the growing cinema industry in Lebanon and to make it more accessible in all regions, regardless of distance hurdles or lack of facilities. 1