Two aspiring Lebanese filmmakers will be attending European Film Festivals after competing in a short film contest. The winners are Michele Tannous from the Lebanese American University and Krystel Abou Karam from the Lebanese Academy of Fine-Arts at University of Balamand. Both of their short films were chosen out of 12 competing in “La soirée des courts métrages libanais.” The Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon, Ambassador Christina Lassen, awarded the Lebanese Students the ‘Best Short Film’ Prizes.
Lam7a – A Glimpse
A short by Michele Tannous a graduate from the Lebanese American University. The jury praised the film for its originality in treating a very important subject and its maturity in dealing with archival footage. Michele Tannous will be invited to the 2017 Cannes Film Festival by Institut Français du Liban.
Ombre
A short by Krystel Abou Karam, a graduate from Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA). The film impressed the jury by the unexpected turnout of the story. It succeeded in transporting the spectator to a different place from where it started. Krystel Abou Karam will be invited to the 2017 Oberhausen International Short Film Festival by Goethe-Institut Lebanon.
Participating Schools
12 Lebanese audiovisual schools presented a total of 12 short films which were screened at the European Film Festival. The participating schools were: Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts, Al Kafaat University, American University of Technology, American University of Science and Technology, Lebanese American University, Lebanese German University, Lebanese International University, Notre Dame University, Université des Pères Antonins, Université Libanaise, Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik and Université Saint-Joseph.
The Jury
- Mani Pournaghi, Director of Goethe-Institut Libanon
- Theo Caillat, Chargé de mission cinéma at Institut Français du Liban
- Jim Quilty, Culture Desk Editor at The Daily Star
- Nayla Rached, Culture journalist
- Nisrine Wehbe from Metropolis Association.
After congratulating the two winners, Ambassador Lassen said:
The purpose of the European Film Festival is to strengthen ties between Europe and Lebanon and to send our guests on a journey of cultural discovery. This journey has allowed us to discover, alongside dozens of European films, a new generation of Lebanese filmmakers who have impressed us with their talent and creativity.” She wished good luck to all the graduates of the Lebanese audiovisual schools “who are the future of filmmaking in Lebanon.
