Updated 8:57 am PDT, Monday, May 20, 2019 Police use a water cannon against retired army officers demonstrating in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, May 20, 2019, as the government faces a looming fiscal crisis. Over one hundred protesters gathered Monday outside the Government House in downtown Beirut shouting "Thieves, thieves!" as the Cabinet met for its 16th session to reach agreement on controversial budget cuts. less Police use a water cannon against retired army officers demonstrating in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, May 20, 2019, as the government faces a looming fiscal crisis. Over one hundred protesters gathered Monday ... more Photo: Bilal Hussein, AP Photo: Bilal Hussein, AP Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Image 1 of 8 Police use a water cannon against retired army officers … [Read more...] about Lebanese budget protesters clash with security in Beirut
Lebanese history
Female Lebanese film-maker makes history with Oscar nod
Female Lebanese film-maker makes history with Oscar nod BelfastTelegraph.co.uk The first female film-maker from an Arab country to be nominated for an Oscar has said she hopes the honour will be a “magnifying glass” on her film about a child in a Beirut slum. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/female-lebanese-filmmaker-makes-history-with-oscar-nod-37830197.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/article37830194.ece/8fa13/AUTOCROP/h342/bpanews_fd1144ba-08b9-4ed1-b92e-ef33a2bae2f4_1 Email The first female film-maker from an Arab country to be nominated for an Oscar has said she hopes the honour will be a “magnifying glass” on her film about a child in a Beirut slum. Nadine Labaki, whose film Capernaum was nominated for a Bafta and will compete for the best foreign language film Oscar, has said she hopes the attention will make some of the issues raised in the movie real for viewers. She told the Press … [Read more...] about Female Lebanese film-maker makes history with Oscar nod
Miss Bala Wastes Gina Rodriguez’s Talent, While Capernaum Rises Above “Poverty Porn”
But comparing the two is inevitable when Naranjo’s film, all quiet thrills and dark drama, has been repurposed into a lazy, PG-13 action film that dumps every ounce of nuance present in the original. Naranjo's long takes, his borderline exploitative depictions of violence and sex that serve a grander thematic purpose, his actual interest in how Laura, a Mexican woman thrown into working for the La Estrella gang after witnessing a nightclub attack, navigates her troublesome situation — they're all missing. Continue ReadingIt is especially unfortunate considering how skilled Hardwicke typically is at telling the stories of women, from Thirteen to the underrated and frequently maligned Twilight. The bones of female friendship and of controlling relationships are present, but the film barrels too quickly through plot to explore any deeper themes. And the film doesn’t even bother to explore the humanity of those involved in the drug war in both the cartel and the DEA, … [Read more...] about Miss Bala Wastes Gina Rodriguez’s Talent, While Capernaum Rises Above “Poverty Porn”
Lebanon’s star filmmaker makes Oscars history with her nom
Sarah El Deeb, Associated Press Updated 7:33 am PST, Thursday, January 24, 2019 In this Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 photo, Lebanese director Nadine Labaki, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Beirut, Lebanon. Labaki, a source of national pride, has become the first female artist in the Arab world to be nominated for an Oscar. She is also the only woman director to compete for a prize at this year's Academy Awards. Capernaum, her masterful neo-realist drama about a 12-year old Syrian refugee boy and a Kenyan toddler who live parentless on the streets of Beirut was nominated for the Golden Globes. less In this Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 photo, Lebanese director Nadine Labaki, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Beirut, Lebanon. Labaki, a source of national pride, has become the first female ... more Photo: Bilal Hussein, AP … [Read more...] about Lebanon’s star filmmaker makes Oscars history with her nom
Iran’s Persian rug-makers suffer as US unravels nuclear deal
Amir Vahdat and Mohammad Nasiri, The Associated Press Updated 11:04 pm PST, Wednesday, December 19, 2018 In this Monday, Dec. 10, 2018 photo, two carpet weavers open their hand-woven carpet at the grand bazaar in Kashan, Iran. Before the Trump administration withdrew from Iran’s nuclear deal with word powers and began restoring crippling sanctions earlier this year, the $425 million a year Persian carpet industry kept an ancient artistic tradition alive while providing much-needed income to Iranians as well as Afghan refugees, who create much of the more luxurious hand-woven pieces. less In this Monday, Dec. 10, 2018 photo, two carpet weavers open their hand-woven carpet at the grand bazaar in Kashan, Iran. Before the Trump administration withdrew from Iran’s nuclear deal with word powers and ... more Photo: Vahid Salemi, AP … [Read more...] about Iran’s Persian rug-makers suffer as US unravels nuclear deal