West Beirut (1998)

movie

(4859)

Country: Belgium, France, Lebanon, Norway
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Release: 1998-10-30
Director: Ziad Doueiri
Writers: Ziad Doueiri
Language: Arabic | French
Stars: Rami Doueiri , Naamar Sahli , Mohamad Chamas , Rola Al Amin , Carmen Lebbos , Joseph Bou Nassar , Liliane Nemri , Leïla Karam , Mahmoud Mabsout , Hassan Farhat
Runtime: 105 min
Awards: 8 wins & 2 nominations
AKA: Die Kinder von Beirut (Germany) , Batı Beyrut (Turkey) , Zachodni Bejrut (Poland) , West Beirut (Spain) , Länsi-Beirut (Finland) , Западный Бейрут (Russian Federation) , Medan Beirut brann (Sweden) , West Beirut (Canada) , Beyrouth Al Gharbiyya (Lebanon) , West Beyrouth (À l'abri les enfants) , West Beirut (United Kingdom) , West Beirut (United States of America) , West Beirut , West Beyrouth (France, French Republic) , West Beyrouth (Italy) , West Beirut (Australia)
Plot: In April, 1975, civil war breaks out; Beirut is partitioned along a Moslem-Christian line. Tarek is in high school, making Super 8 movies with his friend, Omar. At first the war is a lark: school has closed, the violence is fascinating, getting from West to East is a game. His mother wants to leave; his father refuses. Tarek spends time with May, a Christian, orphaned and living in his building. By accident, Tarek goes to an infamous brothel in the war-torn Olive Quarter, meeting its legendary madam, Oum Walid. He then takes Omar and May there using her underwear as a white flag for safe passage. Family tensions rise. As he comes of age, the war moves inexorably from adventure to tragedy.
IMDB:tt0157183