Front Row Filmed Entertainment has acquired global distribution rights for anthology film Disorder exploring Lebanon’s recent tumultuous years through the eyes of four directors.
The picture, which is due to premiere at Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival later this month, brings together Lebanese writers and directors Lucien Bourjeily (Heaven Without People), Bane Fakih (Keep It Together), Wissam Charaf (Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous), and Areej Mahmoud (Beirut 6:07).
The launch comes as the global spotlight is on Lebanon due to the flare-up in the conflict between Israel and Shiite Muslim political party and militant group Hezbollah, which has resulted in close to 2,000 deaths, and also displaced more than 350,000 people over the last two weeks.
The feature is curated and produced Bechara Mouzannar under the banner of Unbranded, in collaboration with Nadine Labaki and Khaled Mouzanar who take executive producer credits. The trio previously collaborated on Labaki’s 2018 film Capernaum
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Blending drama and dark comedy, the directors capture the complex emotions and experiences of the Lebanese people since October 2019 as they surmount a series of challenges, trying not to get ground down.
Lebanon’s recent instability began with the economic crisis of 2019, which sparked widespread protests against government corruption, financial mismanagement, and the deteriorating quality of life, which was further impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic a few months later.
The situation reached a tragic crescendo with the Beirut Port explosion in August 2020 — the largest non-nuclear blast to date—that devastated large parts of the city, further exposing governmental failings and amplifying public despair.
“Disorder is a much-needed film that truthfully depicts the psychological impact of Lebanon’s collapse on a young generation that continues to figure out how to overcome many layers of injustice,” said Labaki.
The anthology comprises four shorts—The Group, Motherland, Don’t Panic, and A Piece of Heaven—each exploring how the events of the last five years have reshaped lives and the collective psyche of Lebanon.
“This anthology reveals how complexity can emerge from disorder and beauty from chaos. It is a profound exploration of ‘Survivor’s Art,’ deeply intertwined with the essence of life itself,” said executive producer Khaled Mouzanar.
“The different genres and stories in Disorder contribute to creating a larger picture of today’s Lebanon, depicting the profound effects of chaos on the lives of the people,” said executive Producers Bechara Mouzannar and Philippe Jabre.
Front Row Filmed Entertainment CEO Gianluca Chakra says the film sheds light on Lebanese stories that often go untold, but suggests these tales also have wider resonance.
“The recurrent themes of instability but most of all, resilience portrayed in this dramedy are not just Lebanese experiences—they are universal. In a world that increasingly faces uncertainty, Disorder offers a reflection on the shared human capacity to endure and find hope amidst turmoil,” he said.
The ensemble cast features a raft of buzzed about Lebanese talent including Manal Issa (The Swimmers), Rodrigue Sleiman (The Traveller), Farah Shaer (Heaven Without People), Hanane Hajj Ali (Bab El Shams), Petra Serhal, Yara Abou Haidar, Said Serhan (Beirut Hold ‘Em), Josef Akiki (Al Hayba), and renowned stand-up comedian Chaker Bou Abdalla (who co-wrote ‘A Piece of Heaven’).
Co-producers are Lara Chekerdjian and Abla Khoury at Ginger Beirut Productions and Studio Humbaba, accompanied by a creative team that includes composer Zeid Hamdan (Barakah Meets Barakah, Capernaum), art director Sabine Sabbagh (The Insult, 1982), cinematographers Mark Khalife (Valley of Exile) and Julien Kai (Chronicles of Her)), and sound designers Emmanuel Zouki (Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous) and Rana Eid (Panoptic).
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