With a title that highly contrasts with Lebanon’s situation, the film A Moment of Bliss follows 4 different Lebanese through their struggles in a country full of uncertainty.
The film premiered on September 23rd at the Beirut Hippodrome under the night sky, surrounded by pine trees, on the occasion of the Freidrich-Ebert Foundation’s 55th anniversary in Lebanon.
Produced by Manuel Lahoud and beautifully filmed with a musical score that catches the heart by Emil Awwad, it followed the real story of 4 different Lebanese protagonists:
- Wael Lazkani, a chef and a restaurant owner.
- Ruba Mourad Squires, a mother and e-learning specialist.
- Vladimir Kurumilian, an architect, professional pianist, and DJ.
- Georges Barbari, a young filmmaker.
Each of these people faces his or her own battles in a country that is slowly devolving into a Failed State.
Wael is the owner of a restaurant in Beirut. He talks about the difficulties imposed on him due to the constantly fluctuating exchange rate.
Choices that are already hard for him have become exceptionally difficult. A spike in the USD price may mean an inability to restock.
Vladimir speaks of the injustice that the LGBTQ+ community faces in Lebanon. People can be expelled from their houses or discriminated against in schools and streets for being a member of the community.
Georges, a filmmaker, has already one of his films awarded recognition at the Berlinale Film Festival.
As life in Lebanon becomes progressively unstable, he is considering immigration despite his attachment to his life by the sea in Batroun.
Ruba is a facet of every Lebanese mother married to a foreign man. Her children can’t be Lebanese nationals according to the law, and even less, in a country they love.
It is to note that, according to the new legislation signed by the ministry of education this week, these children are deemed even more foreigners than the foreign refugees residing in Lebanon when it comes to education benefits.
The title A Moment of Bliss seems highly ironic to the situation in Lebanon, which is no coincidence.
The producer told The961 that he wanted to convey whether these moments of bliss really exist, or are they just a coping mechanism against the constant issues Lebanon faces.
Whichever the answer is, it is undeniable that the country has been only turning to the worse over the past three years.
However, the film is a reminder that there are still some nice things in Lebanon, some parts of our lives that help us through our days, whether we immigrate or not.
A Moment of Bliss will soon be available in theaters in Lebanon, with plans of it being available for streaming on major online platforms.
Here is the trailer for a glimpse at the movie:
