Dubai-based distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment has acquired world rights to anthology film “Disorder,” which depicts different aspects of Lebanon’s recent turbulence and the toll taken by the country’s disarray on its new generations.
The timely portmanteau film comprises four shorts helmed by prominent Lebanese writers and directors: Lucien Bourjeili (“Heaven Without People”), Bane Fakih (“Keep It Together”), Wissam Charaf (“Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous”) and Areej Mahmoud (“Beirut 6:07”).
The shorts, titled “The Group,” “Motherland,” “Don’t Panic” and “A Piece of Heaven,” feature top Lebanese talents such as Manal Issa (“The Swimmers”), Rodrigue Sleiman (“The Traveller”), Farah Shaer (“Heaven Without People”) and Hanane Hajj Ali (“Bab El Shams”).
“Disorder” will world premiere out-of-competition at Egypt’s upcoming El Gouna Film Festival.
Curated and lead-produced by prominent advertising exec Bechara Mouzannar – who is a former creative chief of ad agency Leo Burnett in the Middle East and Africa and now runs a production company called Unbranded – “Disorder” “blends drama and dark comedy” to capture the complex emotions and experiences of the Lebanese people during their ongoing upheaval, according to a statement.
“Each director brings a unique narrative voice, contributing to a powerful mosaic of a nation grappling with chaos, instability and resilience,” the statement says.
“Capernaum” director Nadine Labaki, who serves as an executive producer on “Disorder,” said it is “a much-needed film that truthfully depicts the psychological impact of Lebanon’s collapse on a young generation that continues to figure out how to overcome many layers of injustice.”
Aside from being the target of Israeli airstrikes at present, Lebanon’s ongoing woes are marked by a severe economic crisis that in 2019 sparked widespread protests against government corruption, financial mismanagement and the deteriorating quality of life. This chaos culminated in the tragic Beirut port blast on Aug. 4, 2020 — one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded — in which more than 200 people died.
“Although we still don’t have access to the truth behind the Beirut Port explosion, ‘Disorder’ brings to light stories of those who often go unheard,” Front Row CEO Gianluca Chakra said in a statement. “The recurrent themes of instability but most of all, resilience portrayed in this dramedy are not just Lebanese experiences — they are universal. In a world that increasingly faces uncertainty ‘Disorder’ offers a reflection on the shared human capacity to endure and find hope amidst turmoil.”
Aside from handling world sales on “Disorder,” Front Row will be giving the film a limited theatrical release across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in 2025.
Source Agencies
