Where are our cultural players in times of war, and what are they doing?

L'Agenda Culturel went to meet them, interview them and listen to their stories.

Wafa’a Celine Halawi, actress, writer, dance filmmaker. Lives in Beirut

How are you doing?

It’s a very challenging question to answer right now…

What is your daily life like in a time of war?

In Lebanon, it had somewhat stopped. Just following the news and wondering what is next… Then I traveled to the Rio Film Festival and the Festival du Film Libanais de France to present the film “Portrait of a Certain Orient” by Marcelo Gomes in which I am acting. It’s a Brazilian film telling a Lebanese story of war and exile in the late 40s. A reminder that history keeps repeating itself… I felt torn between the war, the atrocities happening, the helplessness, and the gratitude to be able to present this film. But then I realized that maybe this is the tiny drop I can do right now: shed light on the current situation through this film, talk about Lebanon in interviews and demand a ceasefire at every screening. This is what I will keep doing, next at the Africa International Film Festival in Nigeria and the Huelva Film Festival in Spain.

If this film is, among many things, a reminder of the repercussions of war and emigration, of our collective repeated fate as Lebanese, it is also a film about humanity and love. And this, we need to remember the most.

How do you continue your artistic activity? 

We were preparing the replay of our dark comedy play “Shou Ya Ashta” at Monnot Theater in November. And a new dance film we wanted to shoot in the south. Obviously, everything stopped for now but we are doing what we can to get ready to continue whenever possible. It is not the first time we’ve had a project stopped or delayed. But I never imagined this.

How do you see Lebanon’s future?

Lebanon should be seen in the present to start with.

To overcome the fear and anxiety, what do you suggest to our readers?

Books: Beyrouth Sur Seine by Sabyl Ghoussoub and Tale of a Certain Orient by Milton Hatoum

Music: I recently discovered the talented Lebanese band Taxi 404

Series: I usually watch more films than series, but I really enjoyed Another Self

Any Last Words ?

Ceasefire