Beirut Explosion: An Unresolved Story

Did you know that if you googled August 4, 2020, you would only find articles and videos about Beirut Port Explosion?

On that day, people turned their attention to Lebanon after the explosion destroyed a substantial part of its capital, turning a once beautiful city into ruins and taking the lives of hundreds.

But sadly, August 4, 2020, is an ongoing battle. Almost two years have passed, and we still don't know what happened. People are still demanding justice for their loved ones who died on that day, and the survivors are anxiously awaiting the verdict so that their government can assist them in restoring their homes and lives.

There is no doubt that after this day, nothing is the same. Each of us experienced it differently, but it seems like every Lebanese person is affected by it. So as a Lebanese film student, I decided to dedicate my senior film to tell this story. I wanted to show what we went through on that day and how it has affected us. The film is supposed to show the world a new narrative to this story, which hopefully would let people stand by Lebanon through those hard times.

Briefly, it is about a Lebanese dance student who is studying abroad. He had been living his best life putting the past behind, when his life is suddenly in shambles and he’s faced with a tough decision to make. As he’s about to finally get his citizenship, he loses his grandmother to the Beirut Explosion and is left with two options. Jimmy could either choose to give up everything he had been fighting towards for years and be with his loved ones, potentially putting his career, future, and life in danger, or he can invest in his own skills and talent to help his family from abroad.

With all the hardships we're facing in Lebanon, from the economic crisis to the lack of basic needs, I managed to shoot this story with the help of a great team. It breaks my heart that two years of hard work would go to waste because of financial issues. We wrote the film, shot it, and edited it. We only need to publish it now. Media is a powerful platform, and I want to use it to help those who still need help in Lebanon.

So, could you help me reach my goal and share our story with the world?