After a 21-year direction sabbatical, Lebanese director Christian Ghazi returned with his documentary Na’sh al Thakirah (Memory Catafalque) which is a group of photographed and archived scenes that make sarcastic of the Lebanese society.
The 40-minute film was screened at Ziko House in Beirut in presence of its director and a large audience.
“It is a slap for the audience who see themselves in the mirror through this documentary film which depicts how people in our society attach themselves to dreams and enter a world other than their world. It is a society of carelessness which is in coma,” Ghazi told the daily al Nahar.
He added, “in fact everything has changed since the siege was imposed on of Beirut when they occupied my house on Barbour Street. I stayed in my house for 35 years continuously and went on a visit to Africa for 10 days but I stayed there for one year due to the circumstances at that time. When I returned in 1988 I was shocked to see the militiamen who had confiscated my house burnt negative copies for 13 of my documentary films which were for me the fortune of my life. They burnt the films to get warm (he smiled in a sarcastic manner). The most prominent of these films was al Fidaeyyoun (Commandos) which I directed in 1967. Two film only were saved: al Mawt Fi Lebanon (Death in Lebanon), 1976, which remained in Baghdad and Miat Wajh Li Yawm Wahed (100 Faces for One Day), 1971 which was kept at the General Corporation in Syria.”
Between the sixties and seventies Lebanon and Mashreq TV asked him to direct 12 touristic documented films about tourism in Lebanon. He toured the Lebanese areas and photographed the people customs, daily activities and problems but the films were burnt also because according to Ghazi the films were not appealing to some short sighted people who used to sing for green Lebanon only.
“Nowadays, we live a war full of more rascality, cunning and lies. All the films currently screened are not appealing to me as they are far from reality. They even create societies that do not belong to us. It is a crime against our audience,” said Ghazi -- Albawaba.com
