The Kite
by Randa Chahal Sabbag
Lebanon
Script: Randa Chahal Sabbag
Cinematographer: Alain Levent
Editor: M.P. Renaud
Art Director: S. Chauvelot
Music: Ziad Rahbani
Cast: Flavia Bechara, Maher Bsaibes, Ziad Rahbani
Production: Ognon Pictures, Ulysse Productions
Coproduction: Leil Productions, Gimages Films, Arte France Cinéma, Soread 2M
Distribution:
Pyramide Distribution
5 rue du Chevalier de St George
75008 Paris
France
Tel: 0033 1.42.96.01.10
Fax: 0033 1.40.20.02.21
Mail: [email protected]
www.pyramidefilms.com
Year: 2003
35 mm, Colour, 80 min
OV Arab with French Subtitles
Premiere
Silver Lion, Grand Prize of the Jury, Venice Film Festival, 2003
On her wedding day, 16-year-old Lamia, is to “cross over” the rows of barbed wire separating her village from that of her cousin’s. Between the two villages lies a border ans several watchtowers. Lamia’s village is in Lebanon ; her cousin Samy’s village has been annexed by Israel. A passage is opened under control of both sides in order for newlyweds and coffins to return to their village of origin. Lamia goes to live with her in-laws, leaving behind her little brother, her school, her kite, her mother, her past. But she refuses to consummate her marriage; instead she gradually falls in love with the soldier who has been observing her since the first day.
“Born to a Lebanese father and an Iraqi mother, I have lived my entire life engulfed in conflicts. I never could escape this state of alert, this feeling of constant danger... never could escape war. With this film, I wanted to learn how to put an end to my anger”. Randa Chahal Sabbag