Ziad Doueiri‘s latest movie “The Attack”
After working for six years on this movie, The Lebanese Cinema Committee rejected the movie because it wasn’t Lebanese enough, and having Israeli actors in it. Doueiri was hoping to nominate his movie for an Oscar under the Foreign Film category.
For those of you who don’t know Ziad Doueiri, he is a Lebanese-born cinematographer, film director and writer, best known for his award winning film West Beirut. He apparently originally worked as a camera assistant under Quentin Tarantinofor movies that include Jackie Brown (film), From Dusk Till Dawn, Pulp Fiction, and Reservoir Dogs. [Wiki]
Instead of supporting Ziad and allowing him to compete (and maybe emerge as a winner) at the 2013 Oscars, the Lebanese Film Committee rejected his movie. Ignorance at its best.
After having been selected at the Telluride Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival, and having won the Special Jury Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain and the Golden Star at the Marrakesh Film Festival, the film had a high chance of being nominated for the Foreign Film category at the Oscars this year, said Doueiri. There is just one catch: In order to submit a movie to the Oscars, it must be sent in as an official selection from its country of origin – in this case, Lebanon.
And so in October 2012, Doueiri presented his film to Culture Minister Gaby Layoun, who handed it over to the Cinema Committee. But “The Attack” was rejected. “First, they said it was because wasn’t Lebanese enough,” said Doueiri. “And then it was because it wasn’t shot in Lebanon and has Israeli actors in it.” [NowLebanon]
The Attack is expected to be released on May 1, 2013 in France. I don’t know if we will see it in Lebanese theaters. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ban it.
The film, which is based on Yasmina Khadra’s French-language novel by the same name (L’Attentat), is the story of an Arab surgeon living and working in Tel Aviv. After a bomb attack in a Jewish restaurant, the surgeon finds out his wife is the prime suspect. “I was told by Focus Features, a division of Universal Studio, that the film It’s too pro-Palestinian for Americans and too pro-Israeli for Europeans,” explains Doueiri. But as a filmmaker, he believes he should be judged for his film’s quality, not politics. In the end, the US company pulled out of the project a few months prior to the start of filming, and Jean Brehat and Rachid Bouchareb, the French producers of Doueiri’s previous film, “West Beirut,” took the project.
Out of curiosity, what exactly makes this movie “Lebanese”? It wasn’t shot in Lebanon and as far as I can tell, it had no Lebanese actors. I am leaning towards the the Lebanese Film Committee here.
Director is Lebanese. Movie doesn’t have to be about Lebanon or the Lebanese to be nominated for an Oscar.
I understand that but in that case there are many movies around the world that have been directed by Lebanese. What exactly makes this one special over the others?
Well Yes,what does this have to do with Lebanon???
The director is Lebanese and therefore it has everything to do with him representing Lebanon being a national.
Just because you are a Lebanese or American(replace with any nationality) director, does not mean that you film needs to take place in that country.
Films are art and entertainment. Lebanon should be recognizing its citizens for their achievements.
This is a sad and a poor reflection on the country of Lebanon lead by misguided,backwards and biased politics.
OK, not the best for research but according to Wikipedia:
Films competing in the Foreign Language Film category must have been first released in the country submitting them during the eligibility period defined by the rules of the Academy, and must have been exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial movie theater.
In that case, Lebanon cannot submit the film as it has not been released in Lebanon. Am I missing something?
Jad,
You are right. Something’s missing here but it wasn’t apparently the reason of rejection so it could be that the movie was set to show in theaters here for 7 days prior to its submission. Who knows how much they had to wait to get the rejection?
So you just don’t care that the only movie that was supposed to represent your country was shot in the only state that your country is at war with (and technically doesn’t recognize)? It’s laughable to say the least, that the director came from Tel Aviv to present this movie as a candidate to represent lebanon. He should have known better. Maybe next time he can consider picking a less debatable story to direct and actually shoot it in Lebanon, or at least in a country we recognize.