An Encounter

The story of an encounter that would redefine a young man's perception of life and open him up to its colorful side all while exploring the meaning of injustice, but alongside this poetic journey a traumatic obstacle resurfaces.

  • Ali Hamouch
    Director
    "Neon Ashes", "Treasure House", "By ID", "All is (Not) well", "Caracalla Dance School"
  • Ali Hamouch
    Writer
    "Neon Ashes", "By ID", "Balkoon Webseries", "All is (Not) well", "Treasure House", "My Country?", "Caracalla Dance School"
  • Ali Hamouch
    Producer
    "Neon Ashes", "By ID", "All is (Not) well", "My Country?",
  • Ahmad Jammoul
    Producer
  • Rachel Hamdoun
    Producer
  • Rachel Hamdoun
    Key Cast
  • Ali Hamouch
    Key Cast
  • Ahmad Amro
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    لقاء
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Magical Realism
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 39 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 18, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    Lebanon
  • Country of Filming:
    Lebanon
  • Language:
    Arabic
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - IESAV
Director Biography - Ali Hamouch

Born in 1996, Ali Hamouch made his first two films at the age of 15 and 16, which were screened in multiple international film festivals.

He enrolled in the IESAV film school in Beirut where he developed his skills as a writer, director, cinematographer, and editor.

Venturing into stop-motion, animation, documentaries, and drama, he received the Best Screenplay award in the Casablanca Short Film and documentary Festival for his sci-fi short “Neon Ashes”, which also participated in the biggest Arab genre film festival “Maskoon” and was later acquired by the streaming service Spamflix.

Selected to participate in intensive film programs in Egypt and China, the short documentaries he made there were well-received and featured in various festivals over there.

In 2021, he was one of the main writers of the pioneering web series “No Signal”, produced by international production company “The Talkies”, which tackled regional dilemmas through a purely cinematic lens, with each episode belonging to a different genre.

In 2022, the short film he made in the framework of the 48 hours Beirut film challenge featured the first deaf actor in a lead role, earning the latter a “Best Actor Award”.

He released afterwards a lauded short creative documentary regarding the esteemed Caracalla Dance School and recently became a participant in an ideation workshop by Global Media Makers for the development of his short film “The Motorcycle Thief”.

He is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in film studies at IESAV.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

To witness life and not tell is perhaps the greatest sin in the world of films.

The idea of telling unique stories inspired by the challenges facing the Lebanese people every day is an endearing task to my heart: Whether be it large-scale narratives or small intimate journeys, film is always the best medium to turn a local personal story into a universal experience.

Moreover, I strive to tell a story that walks a tight line between realism and surrealism, something largely nascent in the Arab world and in Lebanon. This remains an endeavor that does not have many precedents in the region, hence why I felt the need to share a story that is as personal as it is universal through An Encounter, which became a chance to me to marry two artistic sides that both lived separately within me: The side that explored life and its disheartening challenges through a dry sober lens, and the side that embraced every ounce of beauty through poetry and art.

Making An Encounter thus became not only a journey of self-healing as I exposed my vulnerabilities to the viewer through hints of the traumatic experiences I’ve went through, but a chance to share with the world the entanglement of life and poetry through the beautiful medium of film. Be it bullying, social isolation, depression, introversion or any other form of alienation, this film attempts to ensure some of the viewers that they’re not alone, that others too have went through the same challenges that almost rendered me emotionally incapacitated, and that there’s always something beyond the pain and the suffering, beyond the aching and self-loathing, beyond the monochromatic aberration the victim is living in….

There’s hope. Be it through self-discovery or the help of another, be it through rationalizing it all or embracing the warmth of another’s love, there’s always hope for a better life because we are not alone, for films show us so.