The screening was followed by a Q&A session (live on Zoom) with the films’ director Mounia Akl and leading actress Nadine Labaki. The session was moderated by director and producer Marianne Khoury.
“It was necessary to make this film especially after Lebanon’s waste crisis in 2015. This film makes us feel alive. It took us 4 years to write the script and find funding for the film,” said Mounia Akl during the Q&A. “ Some actors landed their first roles in this film. Nadine Labaki is an additional asset to the film especially that she trusted my directorial vision and was able to grasp it without much explanation from my side.” added Mounia.
A second screening will be held on Saturday, June 4, as part of Cairo Cinema Days, which screens 13 films from Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. COSTA BRAVA, LEBANON is set to release soon in Egypt.
“ To play the role, I had to think like a director, mother, sister, wife, and an activist . I had to think how this lady will deal with her broken dream, of living an ideal life near the mountains, a garbage landfill was built right outside her house . This helped me deliver a natural and convincing acting performance,’ said Nadine Labaki about her role.
The film world premiered at Venice International Film Festival and won NEPTAC award, which recognizes films specifically from the Asian and Pacific regions, at Toronto International Film Festival.
Additionally, it received an Audience award at BFI London Film Festival; Grand Jury Award at Seville European Film Festival and Fipresci award for Best First Work and Green Star award at El Gouna Film Festival.
COSTA BRAVA, LEBANON was submitted to the 2022 Oscar Nominations for "Best International Film" and is distributed in the Middle East and the Arab world by Film Clinic Indie Distribution.
COSTA BRAVA, LEBANON by Mounia Akl stars Nadine Labaki and Saleh Bakri. It follows a couple who decided to escape the toxic pollution of Beirut by seeking refuge in an utopic mountain home.
But unexpectedly, a garbage landfill is built right outside their fence, bringing all the trash and corruption they hoped to leave behind.
