Star Scene

By Nadine Ghaith

The Beirut Greek Film Festival organized by the League of Lebanese Graduates from Greek Universities, LLGGU, sponsored by Société Générale de Banque au Liban, SGBL, made a second appearance at the Metropolis Empire Sofil this past week.

Greeks and Phoenicians have had a long history with one another that has produced a strong cultural bond; we see this bond in such events as this. Every day from October 28 until the 31st, audiences enjoyed a Greek spectacle with French or English subtitles.

The LLGGU aims at maintaining strong bonds between Lebanon and Greece and the best way to do that is through knowledge; introducing the culture, empathy strengthens ties. Upon viewing the movies. you realize that LLGGU achieved its target as each short film gives you the chance to take in a completely different background; however, it was all Greek to me.

The Greek scenery lingers in the background of these films; the sea, the fields and the old houses. These films are experimental and convey more controversial messages than the main stream productions we are fed all the time. In “House of the Olive Trees” for example, Anna and Markos run naked through an orchard, thereby liberating their animalistic instincts.

These ethnic films that Sofil hosts every so often come as a breath of fresh air for a segment of the Lebanese audience, the sophisticated one; they are also part of what makes this city a capital for culture. Just as the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians traded goods in the past, today the trade survives in the form of cultural goods.

You could also find Nadine at Nadine@Sophisticated.com

By Dana Khraiche and Nadine Ghaith

So how about that? Lebanon has broken the Guinness World Record for the largest servings of Hummus and Tabouleh last weekend. Yes, all that in one weekend.

The reason of all reasons was not only competition and wanting to be in the Guinness Book, we are already in it with the longest veil and the largest book. It was despite others who claim the Hummus and Tabouleh to be theirs; countries such as Israel have claimed that Hummus is originally invented by them! Oh, the horror!!

But Lebanon insisted on reaffirming the Lebanese origins of the Hummus and its faithful companion the Tabouleh.  The Lebanese community and of course the Red Cross who pretty much did not get a minute to breathe with all the chopping that wounded many fingers and nails. So we lost “things” reclaiming our right, that’s what every nation has to go through.

Michel Azzi hosted the event, a mountain of patriotism that man.  I think they brought him in to fill up space; he seemed to ramble on just to hear his own voice, urging the crowd into a reluctant chant, stalling if you want until the cooking began. Being a curious bunch of civilians, the crowd kept coming up on stage and trying to look into the giant pot of hummus despite there being a screen that, very conveniently, displayed what was going on inside. Security had to keep getting people off the stage and working themselves into a sweaty fit, but I bet they ate Hummus and felt proud to be Lebanese.

The question is: is it now officially Lebanese? Frankly, we don’t care. The important thing is that the world witnessed our effort into identifying what’s ours and we did it in a civilized way proving that we, the Lebanese, can pretty much outdo many people.  But, yes Hummus and Tabouleh are generally Middle Eastern.

All in all, it was an impressive stunt, and whether this gets us closer to convincing the world that these foods are really Lebanese or not, at least it’s the kind of thing that makes this city such a fun place to live in.

By Nadine Ghaith

Beirut is art, in its streets, its cars and its people there is aesthetic meaning but sometimes we forget just how much talent the city offers.

The first Festival of Lebanese Art Books, which ran from October 13th until the 17th, came as a reminder and a celebration of a city that has been knighted the World Book Capital. It was an inviting gesture towards those who can appreciate the finer things in life. UNESCO hosted a fair of books, sculptures and paintings courtesy of many of Lebanon’s local artists. Art in its three forms (sculpting, painting and writing) attracted about 300 people daily to experience something of the more pleasant trades of life and take home what they could afford.

The little café area towards the end of the fair was an allusion to those infamous Parisian cafes that gave birth to culture. Though it was not a very large exhibition, it was a chance to explore, unravel the meticulous details of a sculpture, and pause whenever a painting captured you or leaf through a book you could never buy because it’s too rare.

Some of the artists came in for book signings for their work and lives; I didn’t get to meet any of them as I’d waltzed in after hours; grateful enough that I had the chance to take something in before it was too late.

The opening ceremony had been a literal opening as the minister of culture was handed a giant book that held the name of the event within to open up and thereby signify the beginning of the festival, clearly we have moved away from the ever so common “cut the ribbon” approach. After that and for five consecutive days the public got a good dose of local art, something to be encouraged in the future still.