Filmmaker and artist Ahmed Ghossein discusses his intimate, award-winning work, the unique challenges of producing cinema in Lebanon, and the complex relationship between art, war, and memory. Ghossein, whose films like My Father Is Still a Communist and All This Victory (Jidar Sawt) have garnered international acclaim, delves into his upbringing in southern Lebanon, the influence of his family's audio archives, and the profound split between the cultural realities of Beirut and the rest of the country. He also shares his shift toward black comedy and conceptual art to navigate the surreal post-2019 crisis in Lebanon. 0:00 Introduction 2:04 Childhood, Art and Cinema's Role In Growing Up 5:00 Growing Up In Nabatieh and the Cultural Scene Across Lebanon 7:38 The Divided Reality of War in Beirut Versus the South 10:09 The Filmmaker's Role: Capturing Reality vs Stepping Back 12:04 A Theater Education at the Lebanese University 16:23 The Success and Intimacy of My Father Is Still a Communist 17:21 Dealing With Personal Archive, Memory and Ethical Distance 21:03 My Father Is Still a Communist: The Cassettes and the Absence of the Father 28:26 The Relationship With Intimate Success and Being "Naked" 30:57 Success and Responsibility: Shifting Artistic Tools 31:47 The High Stakes of Filmmaking in Lebanon Due to Lack of Funding 33:46 All This Victory (Jidar Sawt): A True War Story 39:39 The Intention Behind Making Films 44:05 Conceptual Art and the Post-2019 Crisis in Lebanon 44:55 Art on Economic Crisis: The "How To Make Your Money Sell" Piece 47:06 Black Comedy and the Surreal Reality of Lebanon 50:39 Post-2019 Obsession With Therapy and Personal Healing 52:21 The Surrealism of Real Lebanese News Stories 53:15 Where To Watch Ahmed Ghossein's Films Ahmad Ghossein is an artist and a filmmaker whose practice utilizes a number of media, including video art, installation, art in public spaces and film. The starting point of his work stems from the collecting and analyzing of facts, documents, and found footage and materials, which then feed into a body of work that draws on the potentialities of the moving image. His feature film debut All This Victory (2019) won the Grand Prize and the Audience Award at the Venice International Film Critics’s Week. His short film, White Noise, which was produced under the auspices of “Lebanon Factory,” opened the Director’s Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival 2017. His Video work My Father Is Still a Communist (2011) commissioned by Sharjah at foundation was awarded best short film in Tribeca Doha Film Festival 2011 and was selected by MoMa and Berlinale and several festivals. His other short The Fourth Stage opened the Forum Expanded of the Berlinale Film Festival, Berlinale 2016. He was the co-artistic director of Beirut Art Center (2020-2021) and his work has been exhibited in countless museums and galleries around the world. Connect with Ahmad Ghossein 👉 https://instagram.com/ahmadghossein Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORKExplore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=sharedABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
