Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWire) -- 05/20/2016 --Before his father died, the "nomad" interviewed him on their family history and for the first time his past was revealed to him through stories, pictures and never met before family members. The film captures the lives of three men: the grandfather who left, the father who died and the son who returned to discover his 'home'…and the Lebanon he found.
"This short film is a first step to open a new window on Lebanon, banning clichés and promoting a country on the move. It is a story that will help all of us question who we are, and why we are the way we are." states Mark Abouzeid, the filmmaker. "This film is different...this is my story, my roots and could not be told any other way...so I became a filmmaker," says Abouzeid. "Our acceptance to Cannes and the public response over the past week has shown me that we all have a story to tell and to share with others." he added.
Abouzeid spent his entire life traveling around the world, capturing the living heritage of others, while struggling to find that sense of belonging. Before his father died, Mark interviewed him on their family history and the things he learned intrigued him to find his "home", his Lebanon.
The short film will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18th.
What the critics are saying:
"No matter where we come from, or how we feel about our life, we all need, at some point, to ponder, reflect and dig in within our inner selves, to find a bigger picture, our founding story, our personal mythology… This is the Mark Abouzeid story, of course, but in a sense, it questions all of us." Franck Charton, Grands Reportages (France)
"I want to watch more. Having said that, I will watch it again for Robert Fisk, for his father's thoughts, and for the strong photography." Simon Blasom, Ingram's Review (UK/Lebanon)
"I was personally touched from the very first moment - the beauty of the landscape, the pictures of Beirut, the people interviewed, their way to see Lebanon open minded. Mark's family story and pictures, reminded me how little I know about my roots and I felt a strong desire to know more." Ursula Beer, Kulturmanagement (Austria)
"It raised intriguing questions but--obviously--did not quite answer them; it is almost like you see an outline of the journey and where it will take you, but we still need to take the journey." Akram Khater, Ph.D., Director, Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies (USA)
"Finding Lebanon --- and I liked it very much. Well done and extremely interesting." Georges Chamchoum, multiple Emmy Award winning director (Niger).
"Even though I've been to Lebanon many times, I never really felt that I had a bedrock understanding of it until now when I watched the film. It confirmed some of the notions I had, and dispelled a few." George Howard, Chairman Assist America Companies (France)
After only 7 days since its release, the trailer for the film has already been viewed over 3,000 times with visitors from over 100 countries. With the upcoming release of subtitled versions in French, Spanish, Italian, and Arabic, the crew expects to reach 10,000 views before arriving in Cannes for the first screening of the 21 minutes film. An American-Lebanese, Florence has been his adopted home for over 10 years and subject of numerous cultural initiatives.
The camera is his tool to initiate collaborations and conversations, to spot problems or stories that needed to be told, and to do something about them. A two-week stay in the desert led to a three-year project on the conservation and transmission of the UNESCO Intangible Heritage Cultural Space, the Bedu of Wadi Rum and Petra. A year working with the Mediterranean traditional fishermen has become an important archive on the state of the seas.
About Mark Abouzeid
Mark Abouzeid spent the last 15 years of his life capturing the living culture and intangible heritage of peoples around the world including Jordanian Bedouin, Omani Dhow Artisans, Ghanese Kente Weavers, Nigerian Baobab Carvers, Moroccan Berbers, Senegalese tribesmen, Tunisian Octopus Fisherman and many others. He has exhibited in numerous museums including Palazzo Vecchio, Accademia della Crusca, Museu de Valencia díEtnologia, Pitti Uomo, Bedouin Heritage Foundation and Museu Maritima, Barcelona. His works are being used as teaching materials in several universities in the United States.
About Cedars Productions
Cedars Productions is a production company created with the purpose to capture the cultural heritage around the world. Currently it is involved in the production of the short film "Finding My Lebanon" and the feature-length documentary "Growing Cedars in Air".
For more information visit http://www.cedarsproductions.com
Official Trailer (ENG): https://vimeo.com/162661882
Official Trailer (ITA Sub): https://vimeo.com/163533896
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/growingcedarsinair/
Contact: mja@markabouzeid.com
Media Contact:
Email: mja@markabouzeid.com
Url: http://www.cedarsproductions.com/
From Florence to Beirut to Cannes - The Short Film, Finding My Lebanon, Is Reaching Audiences Around the World
Prequel to the feature film, “Growing Cedars in Air”, “Finding my Lebanon” tells the story of a “modern nomad”, the kind of man who was raised without any knowledge of his roots, his past, his heritage. The short film is the childhood dream of a boy who has never heard the stories of his past. It is a story for any Lebanese or individual who has felt displaced and uprooted; a story meant to travel, to be seen and shared.