Film Screening of About a War
| Dates: | 14 March 2019 |
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| Times: | 15:30 - 17:30 |
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| What is it: | Screening |
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| Organiser: | Faculty of Humanities |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, Adults, Alumni, Current University students, General public |
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As a result of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), approximately 170,000 people died, 1 million were displaced and 17,000 are still missing. The conflict, which saw hundreds of thousands of Lebanese - including thousands of teenagers - pick up arms, spanned three decades and tore the nation apart politically, socially and economically. But what are the personal and social motivations that can compel young people to join a war?
Moving through rare archival footage and the personal accounts of Assad, a right-wing Christian intelligence officer, Ahed, a Palestinian refugee fighter and Nassim, a Communist commander, About a War unpacks the tensions between individual choice and sectarian violence in the civil war. Without giving an official account of the conflict, the testimonies help build a multi-perspective picture of a crucial turning point in Lebanese history. What is it like to fight and can militiamen come to terms with their killings? What happens after the war and can parallels be drawn with present day conflicts in the region such as in neighbouring Syria?
Co-producer Dana Abi Ghanem will be there to introduce and talk about the film. The screening will be followed by a Q&A discussion with the directors, Dr Daniele Rugo and Abi Weaver who will join us by Skype, placing some of the themes raised by the documentary into a wider conversation surrounding inequality and sectarian divide in Lebanon today, refugee flows in the Middle East and cycles of violence and conflict in the region.
The event is free and open to all. Some drinks and snacks will also be available.
Travel and Contact Information
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C5.1
Ellen Wilkinson
