Larry & the Boots

In a remote village, a curious lizard becomes an unwitting observer to the sexual tension and power struggle between a narcissistic prop master and her enigmatic ex-lover, a nature photographer, as they navigate a two-day work assignment that sparks old flames and ignites new desires.

  • Maria Pia Abou Jaoude
    Director
  • Maria Pia Abou Jaoude
    Writer
  • Maria Pia Abou Jaoude
    Producer
  • Marilyne Naaman
    Key Cast
    "Amar Hakim"
  • Pio Chihane
    Key Cast
    "Ghaith Saad"
  • Rachelle Noja
    Director of Photography
  • Lynn Tawilé
    1st Assistant Director
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    22 minutes 20 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 29, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    13,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Lebanon
  • Country of Filming:
    Lebanon
  • Language:
    Arabic
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - The Institute for Scenic, Audiovisual and Cinematographic Studies of Saint-Joseph University of Beirut
Director Biography - Maria Pia Abou Jaoude

After a 27-year hiatus from completing my degree, I returned to academia with unwavering determination, channeling my efforts into scripting, producing, and directing a film that not only brought personal pride but also resonated with those in my circle. This voyage proved exhilarating, affording me the chance to collaborate with a gifted, younger cohort and rekindling a long-dormant passion. Culminating in an exceptional degree grade, this journey stands as a testament to the rewards of perseverance, intergenerational synergy, and the revival of creative zeal.

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Director Statement

“1975 April - Phalangist gunmen ambush a bus in the Ayn-al-Rummanah district of Beirut, killing 27 of its mainly Palestinian passengers. The Phalangists claim that guerrillas had previously attacked a church in the same district. These clashes start the civil war.” BBC News.
This is one version of how the Lebanese War started.

1975 I was four years old, my father shipped us to the United States to shield us from harm but mother brought us back a few months later because she refused to be alone with four kids in a foreign country.
1977 father died of a heart stroke.
1978 our house was burnt to the ground due to extensive shelling by the Syrian Army.
1982 the Israeli Army invaded Lebanon.
By 1983, I had witnessed death, destruction and displacement.
It was then, at the age of 12, that I asked my mother why god was not intervening or whether he knew we existed.
Shots were fired, a stray dog let out the most disturbing sound I ever heard.
I lost faith in humanity.
Hell was upon us.

The incident of the stray dog is tattooed in the deepest, darkest area of my brain. I have been scrutinizing man’s ability to be evil ever since. To recognize evil, we have to understand good.
Good and Evil and their infinite duality, one needs the other to thrive.