July Trip by Waël Noureddine

The latest film by Waël Noureddine takes us back to Lebanon in 2006, when Israeli bombs were targeting Hezbollah.

The native Lebanese director wanted to capture his own viewpoint amongst the populist media coverage. Documentary-like shots show an abandoned country. After hearing the explosion of an air strike, the camera moves instantly towards the scene of impact.

While some Lebanese are still trying to put out the fires, the international press are already arriving to capture the breaking news. Drugs and alcohol are present to make it through the day. In one scene, photographers are tussling around a corpse like children around a piece of candy. Unfortunately, the strong initial impression gradually fades, numbed by the repetition of tragic scenes.

Christian Ruthner