Lebanon Factory Film Difficulty Ranking: 3
How much do you know about Lebanon? Lebanon Factory will give you a taster of life across the country. From Beirut to the Lebanese countryside watching this film is your cheap ticket to seeing Lebanon.
Why Watch The Lebanon Factory?
- To experience Lebanon from a collection of 4 different perspectives in 4 short films
- See what kind of films are made by pairs of native and foreign directors (each of these 4 films were made by pairs of directors – one from Lebanon and another from elsewhere)
- For an Octupus cruelty scene that matches that famous one in Oldboy
The Breakdown
Lebanon Factory is made up of 4 short films. First up was a dark comedy featuring a rookie cop on his first shift under a bridge late at night. It doesn’t look like an area you’d pick to hang out. There’s some shady deals going on between motorbike owners, there’s a few gang members, and one old man that keeps jumping off the bridge (unsuccessfully trying to commit suicide).
The next three films were about a conman, a group of guys trying to emigrate to the EU, and a crazy middle aged man living in rural Lebanon. It’s a good mix of films and will give you a bit of a feel for life in Lebanon.
Although each film was made by different directors, there are still a few things in common with the four movies. Firstly, you’ll notice the stubbornness and loudness of the main characters. Secondly you’ll also see that most of the characters hate Lebanon and their lives. This is reflected in the old man that keeps jumping off the bridge and cursing God and the country when he survives. In the other films there’s the guys trying to emigrate and also the hotel owner that curses the bigger hotel owner that is destroying his hotel.
Conclusion
Through the four short stories you get an idea of life in Lebanon. There’s a lot of passion, but not the romantic passion you’ll see in Hollywood movies. But even though the characters are not enjoying life in Lebanon there’s obviously a lot of life in the country.