Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano

A catastrophic explosion in the Port of Beirut on August 4, 2020, devastated not only a large part of the Lebanese capital, but also what remained of its inhabitants’ hopes for a dignified life in a country without corruption. The trauma also paralyses a film crew in the middle of production. The question of whether to keep on pursuing their dream project becomes increasingly obtrusive. And what of destiny, and its near-fatal impediments? A film about (the genesis of) a film; a vivid account of the state of an exquisite, ailing country; a dramatic ballad depicting a terrible dilemma: Should one remain in a beloved homeland, even if this means living below the threshold of human dignity? Should one press on with a journey rendered in the words of Lebanese poet Nadia Tueni: “I choose the sea in spite of shipwrecks”? (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)