Lebanon Cultural Events

Plot

Note: There are multiple versions of Metropolis. The original German version remained unseen for many decades. Of this version, a quarter of the footage is believed to be permanently lost. The U.S. version, shortened and re-written by Channing Pollock, is the most commonly known and discussed.

The film is set in the year 2027, in the extraordinary Gothic skyscrapers of a corporate city-state, the Metropolis of the title. Society has been divided into two rigid groups: one of planners or thinkers, who live high above the earth in luxury, and another of workers who live underground toiling to sustain the lives of the privileged. The city is run by Johann 'Joh' Fredersen (Alfred Abel).

The beautiful and evangelical figure Maria (Brigitte Helm) takes up the cause of the workers. She advises the desperate workers not to start a revolution, and instead wait for the arrival of "The Mediator", who, she says, will unite the two halves of society. The son of Fredersen, Freder (Gustav Fröhlich), becomes infatuated with Maria, and follows her down into the working underworld. In the underworld, he experiences firsthand the toiling lifestyle of the workers, and observes the casual attitude of their employers (he is disgusted after seeing an explosion at the "M-Machine", when the employers bring in new workers to keep the machine running before taking care of the men wounded or killed in the accident). Shocked at the workers' living conditions, he joins her cause. Meanwhile his father Fredersen learns of the existence of the robotic gynoid built by the scientist Rotwang (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) and orders Rotwang to give the robot Maria's appearance. (Rotwang had wanted to give the robot the appearance of Fredersen's dead wife, Hel; both men had been in love with her, but in the end she had married Fredersen). By doing so he wants to spread disorder among the workers that would give him the pretext to carry out a retaliatory strike against them.

The real Maria is imprisoned in Rotwang's house in Metropolis, while the robot Maria becomes an exotic dancer in the city's Yoshiwara nightclub, fomenting discord among the rich young men of Metropolis. The workers are encouraged by the robot Maria into a full-scale rebellion, and destroy the "Heart Machine", the power station of the city. However, the destruction of the machine leads to the city's reservoirs overfilling, which floods the workers' underground city and seemingly drowns their children, who were left behind in the riot. (The children are in fact saved in a heroic rescue by Freder and Maria, without the workers' knowledge.) When the workers realize this, they attack out into the gridlocked and confused upper city, foreshadowing the "destruction of the enemy in the citadel" ending still seen in films. The crowd breaks into the city's entertainment district and captures the robot Maria, whom they believe is responsible for drowning their children. They burn the robot at the stake, and when Freder sees this, he believes that it is the real Maria and despairs. However, Freder and the workers then realise that "Maria" is in fact a robot, and see the real Maria being chased by Rotwang along the battlements of the city's cathedral. Freder chases after Rotwang, resulting in a climactic scene in which Joh Fredersen watches in terror as his son struggles with Rotwang on the cathedral's roof. Rotwang falls to his death, and Maria and Freder return to the street, where Freder unites Joh and Grot, the workers' leader, fulfilling his role as the "Mediator".

Source: Wikipedia

Playing tomorrow September 28, 2007 at Le Tournesol Theatre (Tayouneh roundabout) - 8:30pm
Six musicians from Lebanon, Germany and France will accompany the film live with a musical composition specially created for this unique screening.

For more info: (01) 381290

Don't miss it.

Beirut Street Festival 2007
3-month festival began on Sunday, 9 September

Launched three years ago, the Beirut Street Festival celebrates arts and culture by bringing performances to the street. The fourth Annual Beirut Street Festival, which began on September 9, will continue this tradition by offering three months of theater, dance, music, exhibitions, and workshops throughout the city.

The Beirut Street Festival is organized by Zico House, a local cultural association, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture. Mustapha Yamout, founder of Zico House, is particularly happy with the festival this year because there is so much local participation. In addition to having more Lebanese performers than ever, the festival is also being sponsored locally. Zico House inaugurated a partnership this year with Bank of Beirut, which has agreed to support the festival financially for the next five years.

The festival began on Sunday, 9 September, with performances in two locations. Performance artist Nadim Deaibess presented a work titled "Sakan" in front of the famous (now defunct) Beirut Theater in Ain Mreisse, For two days, Deaibess "lived" in front of the shuttered theater. The second performance was an interactive show entitled "Les Orbilys," performed by the French duo Compagnie d'Outre Rue at three locations in Verdun.

From the Ministry of Tourism

What: Hiking in Ehden Cedar Reserve
Where: Ehden
When: September 30th, 2007
Time: 9:00 am
Contact Info: (70) 813001
Webpage: www.esprit-nomade.com
Organizer: Esprit Nomade

At the AUB Assembly Hall. Monday September 17, 2007 at 8:00pm. All are welcome.

In my own personal opinion Takeshi Kitano does not compare to Shintaro Katsu. But the movie is actually a good movie. I will not spoil it for you.

Playing at Tonga in Hamra on Tuesday Sept 25th.

Click here for more details.

Esprit Nomade organizes 2 Hikes on Sunday September the 30th

• Sunday September 30, 2007: Autumn colors in Ehden Cedar Reserve

  • Regions: Ehden Cedar Reserve

  • Highlights:

    • Wild trails

    • Spectacular landscapes

  • Level: 2 levels:

    • Medium: ~5 hours at slow pace

    • Easy: ~4 hours, few uphill, slow pace

  • Gathering time: 09:00

  • Price:

    • $20: Early booking before Friday 7pm

    • $25: Normal price

    • Price includes: transportation, guides & local guides, Reserve entrance fees

  • Notes:

    • The program may be changed in case of unexpected events (weather, political, ...)

• Sunday September 30, 2007: Walking, canoeing & "Dolce Far Niente" in the Palm Islands

  • Regions: Palm Islands, Tripoli

  • Highlights:

    • Crystal-clear water

    • White sandy beach

    • Canoeing around the island

    • If lucky, sea turtles & flying fish (already happened many times)

    • Panoramic landscapes on the Makmel mountains

  • Level:

    • Well... get on the boat, get off the boat, lay on the sand, put your feet in the water.

  • Gathering time: 09:30

  • Price:

    • $16: Early booking before Friday 7pm

    • $21: Normal price

    • Price includes: transportation, guides, boat, canoes.

  • Notes:

    • No facilities on the island (showers, toilets, tents, restaurants, ...)

    • The program may be changed in case of external events (bad sea, bad weather, political events...). It would be replaced by a cultural tour with seafood lunch by the sea.

    • Will be repeated every Sunday between September 30 & October 21

INSTITUTO CERVANTES and IESAV present the Spanish Movie Festival at Beryte Theater from September 25th till September 29.

Tuesday 25th: La calle sin sol
Wednesday 26th: Mi adorado Juan
Thursday 27th: El capitán Veneno
Friday 28th: Cielo negro
Saturday 29th: Sierra maldita

Check the calendar for more details.

يعرض في الساعة الثامنة مساء الإثنين 24 أيلول (سبتمبر) 2007 في قصر الأونيسكو الشريط الوثائقي “الشيعة أصداء من لبنان” كتابة هادي زكاك وإخراجه. المنتج المنفذ جيري موزير.

الفيلم من 52 دقيقة، ويتناول عبر مقابلات مع سياسيين ومواطنين عاديين الأوضاع اللبنانية كما يراها الناس من منظار الطوائف. البداية هذه المرة مع الشيعة وسيليها جزءان آخران، واحد عن السنة وآخر عن المسيحيين.

Click here for details