Joy Hallak

1958, alors que la révolution gronde à Beyrouth, trois sœurs passent l’été en villégiature dans un village reculé de la montagne libanaise. Il y a Nada, la rebelle, Eva, la romantique et surtout Layla, l’aînée, bien sous tous rapports et appréciée de tous. Mais cet été là, le danger de la guerre qui approche et l’arrivée de deux estivants français, poussent Layla, la mère et l’épouse parfaite, à envoyer valser les apparences et à se révolter contre cette société patriarcale qui la tient sous contrôle.

Set in the early years of the Syrian war, Valley of Exile chronicles the journey of Rima and Nour, two sisters who find unexpected refuge in a makeshift settlement in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley after fleeing war-torn Damascus. Older sister Rima, who is eight months pregnant, is set on reuniting with her husband and rebuilding their lives in Lebanon, while younger sister Nour is determined to find their missing brother and eventually returns home to Syria.​ In the camp, the sisters forge alliances with other women who are similarly forced to live without the support of family they’ve lost to the war. This propels them onto separate paths. But as days in the camp turn to weeks, Rima and Nour begin to realize that their exile is not only a struggle for survival, but ultimately a test of loyalty to their country, their family and each other.