Experiencing Interruptions?

glimpses of a future

Warm up to a different tomorrow with this short docuseries of personal reflections expressed through words, movement & dance. An experimental collaboration between writers and creative movers from around the world during the first covid-19 lockdown, in spring & summer 2020. From visualization to embodiment, from letters of love to sobering realizations, we're reminded in times of extreme uncertainty that a basic human need emerges... that of reimagining the future. Eight stand-alone episodes created together while being apart - in Lebanon, France, Iran, Jordan and the USA.

  • Romy Assouad
    Director
    Contemporary dancer & former dance teacher, social & cultural entrepreneur, founder director and design lead at Yaraqa. in Lebanon
  • E1: Mira Ouais
    Writer
    Canadian-born Lebanese Syrian screenplay writer in Lebanon
  • E2: ohmyhappiness (Raja Farah)
    Writer
    Queer writer, baker, and activist in Lebanon
  • E3: Olivia Shabb
    Writer
    Lebanese American clinical psychologist in Lebanon
  • E4: Sara Abdo
    Writer
    Lebanese actress, singer and songwriter in Lebanon
  • E5: Tania Hadjithomas Mehanna
    Writer
    Teacher and hypnotherapist in Lebanon
  • E7: Cynthia Dariane
    Writer
    Lebanese dancer, choreographer, researcher and writer in France
  • E8: Osama Al Nouri
    Writer
    Syrian practitioner in tourism, nature and interfaith in Jordan
  • E6: Kim Heshme
    Writer
    Social media strategist and blogger of @theelephantinaroom, ‘Part time astronaut’& single mom in Lebanon
  • Celine Sursock
    Producer
    Former professional dancer with Caracalla & Maqamat, psychologist, UNICEF and Himaya project manager, content producer, account & community lead at Yaraqa. in Lebanon
  • Jadd Tank
    Producer
    Choreographer, dramaturgist, theater & dance productions director, immersive consultancy, creative operations lead at Yaraqa. in the USA
  • Yaraqa
    Producer
    "While We Weave"
  • E1: Jadd Tank
    Key Cast
    Lebanese American, choreographer & performer in the USA
  • E2: Mollie Wolf
    Key Cast
    American dancers, choreographers, current MFA-track students, husband & wife in the USA
  • E2: Charlie Dando
    Key Cast
    American dancers, choreographers, current MFA-track students, husband & wife in the USA
  • E3: Caroline Hatem
    Key Cast
    Lebanese dance instructor, choreographer and theater director, co-founder of cultural association Yazan in Lebanon
  • E4: Hamdi Dridi
    Key Cast
    Tunisian choreographer and performer in France
  • E5: Cynthia Dariane
    Key Cast
    Lebanese dancer, choreographer, researcher and writer in France
  • E6: Sina Saberi
    Key Cast
    Iranian choreographer, performer, artistic director, founder of Kahkeshan - a space for artistic creation and movement research in Iran
  • E7: Alice Massabki
    Key Cast
    Choreographer of multiple performances such as “Rechmayya” and “Le temps arrete”, director of the Art & Movement Dance School in Lebanon
  • E8: Reem Naamani
    Key Cast
    Lebanese movement creator and dancer, contemporary and classical ballet dancer, founder of Plié Dance Studio in Lebanon
  • Richard Ballan - E1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 + trailer
    Editors
    Director of photography & videographer, works include films such as ‘Habbet Loulou’ and ‘Veins of the World’, documentaries such ‘Tadmor’ for Al Jazeera, ‘Taste of Cement’ and ‘Lebanon Wins The World Cup’. in Lebanon
  • Angela Dabbak - E2 + E6
    Editors
    Staff and freelance video editor, photo editor and filmmaker, works include shorts films ‘Spin’ and ‘Split’. in Lebanon
  • Pia Bou Khater
    Content Editor & Publicist
    Former Warner Bros marketing manager, current researcher & cultural advisor, editor & copywriter, publicist at Yaraqa. in Lebanon
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short, Television, Web / New Media, Other
  • Genres:
    Dance, Series, Short Docuseries
  • Runtime:
    26 minutes 42 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 10, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    58,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Lebanon
  • Country of Filming:
    France, Iran, Islamic Republic of, Lebanon, United States
  • Language:
    Arabic, English, French
  • Shooting Format:
    mobile phones, digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • New Wave Short Film Festival
    Munich
    Germany
    March 4, 2021
    Best Director
Distribution Information
  • Front Row Filmed Entertainment
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: Internet, Video on Demand, Pay Per View, Hotel, Airline, Ship, Video / Disc, Paid TV
  • Netflix
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: Video on Demand
Director Biography - Romy Assouad

Social & cultural entrepreneur, contemporary dancer & former dance teacher with a background in design and animation. Co-founder of #7 co-working space, founder director and design lead at Yaraqa in Lebanon

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

A few weeks into the first covid-19 lockdown, we asked a group of 8 creative writers and 9 creative movers what the future looks like to them. In Lebanon, France, Jordan, Iran and the USA, they reflected on a series of questions about the future without communicating with each other. First, each writer was asked to visualize and write a story, something rather personal. Then, each dancer responded to the text they received with movement and dance. In their personal spaces and with their bodies every dancer gave their text a form and color, and filmed everything with a mobile phone. Yaraqa’s team in Lebanon curated the narration and music, piecing the footage together and creating a series of 8 episodes. These new ways of working, collaborating, and creating online, they’ve all come to fruition. It’s the era of new creative productions.