Myrna Maakaron

Over forty and in a bit of a midlife crisis, Tunisian film director Raouf is prone to excessive drinking when not engaged in an argument with his French-born wife Lou (Marianne Basler). One respite to Raouf's dreary life is a recent film assignment -- to shoot an autobiographical film about his childhood. While working on the script, Raouf recalls his childhood home life under the strictures instituted by his devoutly religious father. The polar opposite of Raouf's father was his uncle Mansour, a jolly, life-loving soul who introduced Raouf to cinema through his work as a wandering film projectionist, which angered and shocked his father to no end but proved to be the most pivotal development in the youngster's life. Through cinema, Raouf found his place in this world and came-of-age -- something he may have to revisit in his adult life if he wishes to salvage his marriage.

Beyrouth. Ce n'est plus vraiment la guerre, mais c'est encore la guerre. Le sort des hommes ne vaut guère mieux que celui des chats. Les "humanitaires" de "Médecins sans frontières" sont traqués par de jeunes musulmans. Dans un immeuble jadis cossu, deux bonnes skri-lankaises qui attendent le retour de leur patronne, la mondaine et inconsciente Viviane, insultent vertement Souad et Najat, qui ont réuni leurs solitudes, et s'aiment.

Berlin and Beirut were occupied, destructed, divided, reconstructed and today people still say "East and West" in both cities. Through the whole film Berlin and Beirut become one city. One space. A space where you feel the weight of the past and the lightness of life sharing with Myrna her stories, adventures and memories.

Two young girls of the war generation, Yasmin and Leila, are in search of Beirut. When they meet an elderly film enthusiast with a secret store of Lebanese films, they persuade him to screen his collection for them. So begins an initiation into the myths and images of Beirut, but the girls want cold figures and facts, war babies indifferent to the memories evoked.

Berlin and Beirut were occupied, destructed, divided, reconstructed and today people still say "East and West" in both cities. Through the whole film Berlin and Beirut become one city. One space. A space where you feel the weight of the past and the lightness of life sharing with Myrna her stories, adventures and memories.