Ben Stiller and Susan Sarandon visited Beirut for a special screening of Soufra, a film based on the inspiring true story of Mariam Sha’ar, a Palestinian refugee-turned-businesswoman.
At the screening, the stars were seen accompanied by our very own Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nadine Labaki. The attendance of Stiller came in line with his current duties as Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR.
Stiller even posted an aerial photo of our lovely capital with the caption #Beirut.
The film is directed by Thomas Morgan and produced by Sarandon herself. It revolves around Mariam Sha’ar, a woman born and raised in the refugee camp of Bourj al-Barajneh in South Lebanon.
The story line develops with the events leading up to the launch of her catering company Soufra, hence the name of the biography movie.
At the event, Sha’ar recounted the story of how she saw an opportunity to improve both her life and the lives of those around her.
Armed with nothing but her own determination, she managed to defy all odds and come out on top, empowering and inspiring hundreds of other subdued women in her camp.
Soufra is a testimony to the power of will and resourcefulness in the face of adversity. It is a wonderful story of female empowerment and how women can indeed achieve anything, even the impossible, when they set their minds to it.
Currently enroute to Italy, the movie has been circling film festivals worldwide, earning critical acclaims and snatching up awards along the way.