Private Project

The Taste of Honey

A beekeeper's son, who committed a crime to heal his father's illness with lemons in an attempted theft, gets out of prison after 15 long years and makes his way back home. The journey takes him 2 long days through which he is greeted by uncanny feelings of his past and hardships of a bitter present.

  • Madeleine Hanna
    Director
  • Madeleine Hanna
    Writer
  • Raghid Monzer
    Producer
  • Ahmad Hammoud
    Producer
  • Walid Feghaly
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 22 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 2, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    2,400 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Lebanon
  • Country of Filming:
    Lebanon
  • Language:
    Arabic
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Lebanese University
Director Biography - Madeleine Hanna

I am a Lebanese-Russian filmmaker and storyteller, whose work is deeply rooted in personal narratives, cultural identity, and the complexities of human relationships. With a background in directing, writing, and production design, my creative vision weaves stories that resonate on both intimate and universal levels.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The Taste of Honey is deeply intertwined with my personal struggles surrounding the concept of belonging and the essence of home. I chose to tell this story in its current form to delve into the deeply personal internal conflicts unique to me, while also grappling with questions that have haunted me for years: What drives a person to kill? Can love, societal pressures, or financial circumstances ever justify such an act? Is self-forgiveness possible for such a deed? And ultimately, can a person ever break free from the shadows of their own perception and truly confront the reality of their actions?
Through the film's visual language and character-driven narrative, I aim to examine these questions, not to provide answers, but to provoke introspection and dialogue.