THE LAND
Directed by Moe Sabbah
2020 / Lebanon / 27 mins
SYNOPSIS
The Land documents the uprising of the people of Bisri and activists from all of Lebanon against the construction of the dangerous dam leading up to the Bisri Valley's liberation. Farmers and shepherds discuss their fears of losing the land and their intimate relationship with it. It also presents the project's seismic and geological dangers, its futility, the conflicts of interests surrounding its construction, and its destruction of a rich and significant area in every respect. The film ends during September 2020, when the World Bank resigned on funding the dam project, and this decision came as the most beautiful conclusion to the film and to the struggle of the activists.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
MOHAMAD MOE SABBAH studied filmmaking at the ALBA institute, where he received a BA in 2011 and an MA in 2014. His short films got international attention, with The Return he was invited to the Short Film Corner in Cannes in 2012. In the winter semester 2015/16 Sabbah was a guest of the International Class (ICLA) of the Film Academy Ludwigsburg in Germany to work on the script development for his first feature length film, Chronic. Sabbah has also been working as assistant director and director on TV commercials, campaigns and music videos.
SCREENING INFO
OCTOBER 22, 2023
5:30 PM