Lebanese Film Harvest

People are being too harsh on this brand-new festival, with some even suggesting that the competition was rigged, which is simply not true.

Yes, there were many issues and mistakes, but to me they seem to stem mainly from the choice of venue rather than from bad intentions. And let’s not forget: this was the very first edition of the festival. Of course it wasn’t perfect, but it was certainly promising; from the respectable jury, to the engaging talks, to the prizes awarded (especially for the best student film!).

As for the competition including only 20 out of the 49 selected films, I don’t know exactly where the misunderstanding lies, but I can say with confidence that it was not the result of a biased selection. I don’t know anyone from the organizing team or the jury personally, and yet my film was awarded three prizes.

I feel that, as Lebanese filmmakers, instead of tearing down new initiatives that are genuinely trying to support young filmmakers (with no submission fees too), we should appreciate these efforts and allow them the space to grow. This was their first experience and I’m sure the next edition will be better organized, building on what was already an impressive first attempt. I know I’m personally looking forward to seeing what Lebanese Film Harvest has planned next.

As filmmakers, it is our duty to tell the truth.
It was announced that 49 films out of 3,000 were selected to compete for the festival’s awards, and my film, along with the films of several colleagues, was included in this list.

However, what was never mentioned to us in any email or official communication is that these films would not actually compete, but only be screened, while the actual competition was limited to 20 films chosen through a non-transparent process outside the jury’s evaluation.

This means that:
• The 49 films were not all “selected for competition” as the announcement suggested.
• The jury only viewed 20 films.
• The concept of “official selection” was manipulated in a way that misrepresents the festival to participants and audiences.

And the problem doesn’t stop there:
• The screenings were of very poor quality; sound was unclear, even though some films rely heavily on sound.
• Several films stopped and glitched during projection.
• Many screenings were almost empty, with films shown to nearly vacant halls.
• Flash photography during screenings distracted the few audience members present.
• The overall organization was very weak, and the closing ceremony was dull with no meaningful activities.

We, as filmmakers, put in effort, traveled, and attended with passion and hope, only to discover later that our films were not treated with the seriousness we were promised. This is not a personal complaint but an ethical issue that concerns the transparency and credibility of the festival.

It is therefore important for everyone to know that what happened was neither fair nor professional. Respect for cinema begins with respect for its creators, and any festival that does not place this as a priority does not deserve to be a platform for art.

It's sad to see festivals treat films and their filmmakers in such a way that, to say the least, is insulting. There was poor organization, a lack of respect for filmmakers, films being cut without end credits, poor presentation, and no initiative for improvement over the course of three days. This is not to mention the crew's and founders' indifference to film screening etiquette, especially filming during the screening. Furthermore, the founders manipulated the filmmakers by claiming there were 49 films in the festival, when there were only 20 in competition, a fact that was never announced, leading to an unjustified misleading.The jury was very respectful, but the curators didn't appreciate their presence, and they showed the jury only 20 films, not 49.

To every filmmaker reading this comment, don't submit your film unless you find a festival that appreciates the art you present.

As filmmakers, we owe it to the community to speak the truth. The Lebanese Film Harvest announced 49 films selected out of 3,000 to compete for awards, including mine and several of my colleagues’ films. What was never disclosed is that only 20 films actually competed, chosen in a completely opaque process outside the jury. The so-called “official selection” was a lie. Screenings were a disaster, with frozen films, terrible sound, nearly empty rooms, and flash photography disturbing the few attendees. Organizers were unprepared and indifferent. We came with passion and hope, only to have our work treated with blatant disregard. This is an ethical failure that exposes the festival’s lack of integrity.