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1982

By Oualid MOUANESS

HOUSE OF FILM - as SALES All rights, Other

Drama - Completed 2020

Gorgeous award winning film set during the 1982 invasion of Lebanon at a Quaker school in the mountains above Beirut. 11-year-old Wissam tries to tell a classmate about his crush on her, while his teachers on different sides of the political divide, try to mask their fears.

- Year of production
- 2020
- Genres
- Drama, True Story, First film
- Countries
- LEBANON, QATAR, NORWAY, FRANCE, USA
- Languages
- ARABIC-LEBANESE, ENGLISH
- Budget
- 3 - 5 M$
- Duration
- 100 mn
- Director(s)
- Oualid MOUANESS
- Writer(s)
- Oualid MOUANESS
- Cast
- Nadine LABAKI, Mohamad DALLI, Aliya KHALIDI, Rodrigue SLEIMAN, Ghassan MAALOUF, Gia MADI, Lelya HARKOUS, Said SERHAN, Zeina SAAB DE MELERO
- Producer(s)
- Georges SCHOUCAIR (ABBOUT PRODUCTIONS), Myriam SASSINE (ABBOUT PRODUCTIONS), Oualid MOUANESS (TRICYCLE LOGIC), Alix MADIGAN (Mad Dog Films), Christopher TRICARICO
- Synopsis
- As the academic year draws to a close at a school high in the mountains of Lebanon, eleven-year-old Wissam struggles to pluck up the courage to reveal his true feelings to classmate Joanna. After numerous failed attempts, he is left despondent when led to believe that his best friend has betrayed his trust. To make matters worse, the day is suddenly interrupted when an air invasion reaches the capital, Beirut and shatters the school’s calm. The imminent danger only makes Wissam even more resolute, as it becomes clear that no one knows what tomorrow will bring.  This story of burgeoning love set against the backdrop of the blitz of Beirut in 1982 relays that even in time of conflict, life still goes on. For a dreamer like Wissam, it’s hard to immediately comprehend the gravity of the approaching violence, but for his teachers, Yasmine (Nadine Labaki) and Joseph (Rodrigue Sleiman), the jets roaring overhead are a sign of something much graver on the horizon. With extraordinary performances by all, the film perfectly captures the slow erosion of innocence, but one in which childlike imagination finds a way to triumph in the end.
  
  Main Awards won:
  LEBANON’S OFFICIAL ENTRY FOR THE ACADEMY AWARDS 2020
  *** WINNER *** PRIX CANNES ECRANS JUNIORS (2021)
  FESTIVAL CANNES ECRANS JUNIORS 2021 - CANNES YOUTH SIDEBAR (FRANCE)
  *** WINNER *** NETPAC AWARD (best Asian Film)
  TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2019 (CANADA)
  *** WINNER *** MUREX D’OR 2021
  – BEST LEBANESE FEATURE WINNER (2019-2021) – academy award equivalent for Lebanon
  *** WINNER *** SIGNIS 2020 AWARD (Ecumenical Prize)
  WASHINGTON DC INTERNTATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL – FILMFEST DC 2020
  *** WINNER *** UNICEF AWARD (2021)
  CASTELLINARIA INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF YOUNG CINEMA (SWITZERLAND)
  *** WINNER *** GRAND JURY PRIZE (2021)
  TETOUAN MEDITERRANEAN FILM FESTIVAL 2021 (MOROCCO)
  *** WINNER *** PRIX JURY ÉTUDIANT
  WAR ON SCREEN INT’L FILM FESTIVAL 2020– FRANCE
  
  *** WINNER *** FIPRESCI INTERNATIONAL CRITICS PRIZE
  ELGOUNA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2019 (EGYPT)
  *** WINNER *** JURY PRIZE (2021)
  TETOUAN MEDITERRANEAN FILM FESTIVAL 2021 (MOROCCO)
  *** SÉLECTION OFFICIELLE ***
  INSTITUT LUMIERE – REGARD SUD FILM FESTIVAL 2021 (FRANCE)
  
  *** WINNER *** PRIX JEUNE PUBLIC (YOUTH AUDIENCE AWARD)
  CINEMED – Montpellier 2019 (FRANCE)
  *** WINNER *** SNOW LEOPARD AUDIENCE AWARD – BEST FILM
  ASIAN WORLD FILM FESTIVAL – 2019 (US)
  *** WINNER *** BEST FEATURE FILM
  AJYAL (GENERATIONS) FILM FESTIVAL 2019 – DOHA, QATAR
  *** WINNER *** BEST CHILDREN’S PICTURE
  HAINAN ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2019 – CHINA
  
  *** WINNER *** SIGNIS 2020 AWARD (Ecumenical Prize)
  WASHINGTON DC INTERNTATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL – FILMFEST DC 2020