DIRTY, DIFFICULT, DANGEROUS wins Europa Cinemas Award in Venice

During the conclusion of the Giornate degli Autori competition at the 79th edition of Venice International Film Festival, Europa Cinemas network announced that Lebanese film DIRTY, DIFFICULT, DANGEROUS has won the Best European Film in the competition, which allows the film to be network-branded and benefit from promotional support and distinctive screening opportunities in the network's theater franchises, where the film was described by the network's jury as "a delight – a very original and surprisingly uplifting film."

Europa Cinemas network was founded in 1992 by a group of 30 European movie theaters. Currently, the network has expanded to include more than 3,000 screens across 739 cities in 42 countries around the world. Since 2010, the network has presented its award at the Giornate degli Autori Competition. Wissam Charaf  is the first Arab director to receive this award. The Network's jury added in its merits, “ the Film tackles many tragic events that we all confront – be it war, refugees, trafficking – but Charaf comes up with a love story that has strong fairy tale elements . There is a touch of kindness here – a sense of relief from all the usual lecturing as well as some dark comic moments. The film will give audiences a real sense of hope born from courage, and we feel strongly that it will appeal well beyond arthouse audiences across Europe.”

DIRTY, DIFFICULT, DANGEROUS was the opening film of the 19th edition of the Giornate degli Autori Competition, where audiences expressed their admiration for the film and it also received positive critical ratings.

Immediately after its screening, the Lebanese critic Hovic Havisham wrote “Charaf took a different look at Lebanese reality and according to his assessment of it; A look that has never been in this form in Lebanese cinema.” Also, Fabien Lemercier wrote on Cineuropa website saying “Lend charm and a fablesque air to a work which prioritizes restrained simplicity and unpretentious freshness in a complicated quest for freedom”, Matthew Joseph Jenner on ICS website wrote “Hauntingly beautiful account of individuality”

Roaming the streets of Beirut searching for metal objects to be recycled, Ahmed, a Syrian refugee, thought he’d find love with Mehdia, an Ethiopian domestic. But in this city, such a story seems almost impossible. Will this couple be able to find the way to freedom given that Ahmed suffers a mysterious illness that slowly turns his body into metal?

DIRTY, DIFFICULT, DANGEROUS was supported by CNC, Corsica Region, Doha Film Institute, Red Sea Fund, Italy’s Ministry of Culture, Fonds Image de la Francophonie and MEDIA. It was awarded a full promotion package from the Red Sea International Film Festival, received the Award of the French Institute in Tunisia from Carthage Pro Professional platform, the Arte prize in Busan Film Festival and the CNC award in Dubai Film Connection. 

Directed by  Wissam Charaf who co-wrote it with Hala Dabaji, Mariette Désert, the film stars Clara Couturet, Ziad Jallad, Rifaat Tarabay and Darina Al Joundi. It is produced by Aurora Films, Né à Beyrouth Films and Intramovies. MAD Solutions manages the film’s distribution in the Arab world, while JHR Films manages the distribution in France and Intramovies manages the international sales.

Wissam Charaf is a Lebanese/French director, cameraman and editor. In 1998, he began to work with the French/German network ARTE, as a news cameraman, editor and journalist. He has since covered major conflict areas ranging from Lebanon to Darfour, Afghanistan, or North Korea. He worked in programs like ARTE Info, ARTE Reportages, Metropolis and Tracks.

He also worked as an assistant director with Danielle Arbid as well as on music videos with French director Henri-Jean Debon for artists such as Noir Desir, Sinead O Connor and Asian Dub Foundation. 

He directed 6 short fiction films: Hizz Ya Wizz, A Hero Never Dies, An Army of Ants, After (awarded in Pantin, Brive), Unforgettable Memory of a Friend (awarded in Pantin, Clermont-Ferrand, Rhode Island and pre-selected for Best short film in the Cesar 2020) and Don’t panic (Clermont-Ferrand), as well as It’s All in Lebanon, a documentary awarded in Carthage Festival. His first feature film, Heaven Sent, was selected for the ACID section of the 2016 Cannes Festival. Currently, his latest short film has recently entered post-production, and is developing a new feature film script.