Interview with Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri

The insult begins with a sign that explains that the film does not express the official position of the Lebanese government: "Insult" by Ziad Doueiri was nominated for the best non-English film, the first Lebanese film of the year – but the director has almost never been hailed as a prophet in his own homeland.

The film begins with a riot in a street in Beirut, not only caused by the poor control of the impulses of two men and its offbeat pride. As the turtles escalate and end up in court twice, it becomes clear that the conflict is causing long and deep wounds.

The evidence goes back to the civil war in Lebanon. It is still an infected tragedy, which today has significant sequels for people in the immediate vicinity. Including the director Doueiri himself.

– I will not hesitate to be very happy with success. The film just has a premiere in Japan and now in Sweden. I am particularly happy because there has been an attempt to stop it, "said Ziad Doueiri over the Paris telephone, while apologizing for the noise of the street

Already at the World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival. "When Camel El Basha was named Best Actor. He is the first Palestinian actor to receive the prize. But when the film had a Palestinian premiere at the Ramallah Festival, the show was stopped after protests from the international Bojkott movement, Disinvestments and Sanctions (BDS)

Doueiri broke the phone.

– They believe in censorship The conflict originated in Doueiri's latest film, "The Attack", recorded in Israel in 2012. So, Doueiri, BDS and other similar activists, is considered an employee who normalizes relations with the occupying power.

Doueiri is arrested in this country because Lebanon still believes that he is at war with Israel and that it is forbidden to work for Lebanese citizens.He was released soon and "L & # 39; "attack" became a first in Lebanon, but stopped elsewhere in the Arab world.

The more unexplained problems in a society, the more interesting the stories are.

For Doueiri the nomination to the Oscar is a recognition. And he is not the only Lebanese director on the international film scene: Nadine Labakis "Capharnaüm" won the festival jury prize in Cannes and gets the Swedish prime minister early next year.

Today, Doueiri is based in France productions for movies and television. "The Insult" is his first Lebanese film for 20 years and after all, he has become a success at home.

"It was very fun to be back in Beirut," says Doueiri. The more unsolved problems in a society, the more interesting the stories are. Lebanon may not be a stable society, but it is also a rich country at the same time. The recording itself was very simple. The difficulties came after.

Doueiri fled Lebanon during the war and began studying in the United States. He worked there later as a b-photographer, including the first three films of Quentin Tarantino, before heading himself. His first feature film, "While Beirut Burning" from 1998, describes the capture of the civil war in the 1970s and how the battles divided the capital into a Christian part and a Muslim part.

Several Doueiri films deal with border disputes, both moral and territorial. Dougiri had the idea of ​​the film when he lived in Beirut and sprinkled his flowers on the balcony.

– When he happened to wash the water on a man in the street responded and I became unpleasant with him. Then I regret, of course, and apologized. But I started thinking about what would happen if I did not do it. The thought of a conflict that continues to grow, until the people concerned lose control, fascinates me, said Doueiri.

In the insult, the noise begins with an illegal water line, a hateful violation and a punch on the ribs. Neither the Lebanese auto mechanic Tony, nor the Palestinian construction worker Yasser, want to turn the other cheek.

Tony is a Christian nationalist with a tragic family history who hates Palestinians. Yasser tries to keep his dignity of second-class resident, stranded in Lebanon for decades

It's a movie about reconciliation, even a trial drama by American model.

– When I started writing "Insult", I watched procedural movies. The "judgment" of Sidney Lumet! But also movies like "Philadelphia" and "Kramer vs. Kramer". The idea was not to make a movie with a predetermined message, it will be built. In the end, it's about the characters and their challenges, says Doueiri

At the same time, it's hard to shut up because it's a film with political dimensions. How was it received?

– He was very well received in Lebanon! He started talking about things that people prefer to keep quiet. But there are certainly many who have become angry, especially the different groups of Propalestinians, said Doueiri.

The critics focus on smoothing the film on Tony's scorn for the Palestinians. Doueiri expresses very categorically about his belachers and he does not believe in reconciliation in the near future. He describes the Arab world as "a trash can full of bad news".

Should I interpret it as if you do not like the cinematic climate of the region?

– No, not at all. I would like to do more movies in Lebanon. It's a good place to work. I have to go, if I can say it myself, says Ziad Doueiri.

Read more: Criticism of "Insults"