Sonsbeek 2026 x Focus: West Beirut (rooftop cinema)
Sonsbeek 2026
Focus Filmtheater, Arnhem
7 August, 21.30hr –
8 August 2026, midnight
Inleiding
In collaboration with Verre Binding - an organisation organising cultural programs for locals who come from near and far - Sonsbeek 2026 and Focus present the beloved Arab classic West Beirut from Ziad Doueiri- a tragicomedy set at the start of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1991), when the city was being split into the Christian East and the Muslim West. Drawing from the director’s own memories, it paints an intimate portrait of three teenagers navigating the first signs of conflict. They stubbornly cling to joy wherever they can find it, even as the reality of adulthood and war draws near. As Lebanese film critic Chafic Tabbara puts it: “The magic of West Beirut lies in its refusal to surrender to despair. The film pulses with life, even as bombs fall.”
How does this film portrait resonate with new generations experiencing the recent outbreaks of war in Lebanon? Within the context of Sonsbeek 2026, West Beirut shows how memories of traumatic events are formed and (re)experienced - how they constantly change in line with personal and collective experiences.
The screening is introduced by Shehade Saleh from the Verre Binding Filmraad, who will reflect on the film’s significance for new generations.
Subtitles and introduction in English
Speaker
Originally from Palestine, Shehade Saleh holds a bachelor's degree in communication and has over 7 years of experience in social media and PR management for NGOs, startups, private and public organizations. Passionate about film making, Shehade is part of the Verre Binding film council and dreams of becoming a music video director in the future.
About Darkness Reframed
Throughout August and September, Focus Film Theater and Sonsbeek 2026 present Darkness Reframed - eight screening programs featuring cinema classics and artist shorts at the roof top cinema and in the cinema room. With introductions and Q&As afterwards, the film program opens up the space to reflect on how Western imperialisation and its inherited forms of representation have impacted memory. Departure point for the film program is the Heart of Darkness exhibition curated by Marianne Brouwer at the Kröller-Muller museum in 1994-95, which has been a touchstone for Sonsbeek 2026. Part of the exhibition was Citizen X, a video programme curated by Corinne Diserens, which will be revisited in Darkness Reframed.