In a village just outside Beirut, amidst old iron, chickens, and goats, the quiet Fouad runs an automobile repair shop. His demeanor is somewhat distant but soothing. He invites his customers, both young and old, to sit and have coffee while they wait for their vehicles to be repaired. In these serene moments, the repair shop becomes their refuge, allowing them to express their dissatisfaction amid the economic collapse surrounding them. There are no jobs. Sleepless nights. The burden of tuition fees. No one is safe. As darkness approaches, Fouad must embark on a symbolic, transcendent journey through his own psyche: a quest for the other side. In his third feature film, the final segment of a hybrid trilogy that includes Only the Winds (2020) and Octopus (winner of IDFA, 2021), Kassem undertakes a poetic, sensory exploration of the texture and concept of existence, levitating along the boundaries of collective despair. By filming in suggestive black and white, Kassem uses naturalism to capture the rare moments of respite, and create a deeply lyrical symbol of Lebanon’s devastation. His protagonist, Fouad Mahouly, is a striking presence, simultaneously exhausted and magnetic, delicately conveying the inner transformation of being.
Awards and festivals:
Rotterdam International Film Festival (2023) – world premiere; Beldocs (2023) – Best Film; MDOC (2023)
Karim Kassem was born and raised in Beirut. He works in Lebanon and the United States on films, music videos, and commercials. Kassem’s artistic exploration began with music. He experimented with techno music for four years, and then his interest in photography was sparked by a university professor who invited him on a trip to Indonesia. Since moving to New York in 2012, he has directed many films and completed his feature debut Only the Winds, which entered the competition at the 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam and Visions du Réel 2021 in Switzerland. He has recently survived a devastating explosion which destroyed most of Beirut, landing there a day before. His second feature film, Octopus, dedicated to that event, won the Best Film Award at IDFA 2021, with support from the Doha Film Institute and the Red Sea Film Fund.
