Arzé

I was raised in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious family, always feeling that I live on the peripheries of Lebanese society because I do not fully belong to or identify with any of the religious sects. In a country that is divided along sectarian lines, I’ve had to learn how to navigate this faultiness to get by, to thrive, and even to survive. Sadly, I am not alone. Many Lebanese of my generation, especially women, have to go through the same hurdles everyday. So does Arzé, the heroine of my film. Arzé is a symbol, not only of the working-class woman, but also of my divided nation that has been oscillating on a cliff, about to fall into and drown in an ocean of sectarianism–again! The strength of Arzé is inspiring, and despite everything she goes through, she never gives up. Even though the warlords and sectarian leaders, who control the country, want the divisions to continue and are putting all their might to stop any change, leaving us feeling helpless and hopeless, Arzé reminds us that we should not give up. Like Arzé, we should keep fighting until we get what’s rightfully ours–a free and thriving Lebanon–even if this means we have to “steal” it back from the corrupt tyrants, who have hijacked our future and eviscerated our dreams.! I want to this film to show that despite it all, we still have a sense of humor–an a chance for a better life.