VOID (WAYNON)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SCORE WINNER CEDRIC KAYEM
Lebanon | 2013 | Narrative | 78 Minutes
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Directors: Naji Bechara, Jad Beiruty, Zeina Makki, Tarek Korkomaz, Christelle Ighniades, Maria Abdel Karim, Salim Haber
Writer: Georges Khabbaz
Producers: Sam Lahoud, Nicolas Khabbaz
Cinematographer: Kamal Bou Nassar
Editor: Salim Haber
Composer: Cedric Kayem
Cast: Carol Abboud, Diamand Bou Abboud, Carmen Lebros, Latife Moultaka, Takla Chamoun, Nada Abou Farhat.
Synopsis: Six Lebanese women, different ages, await the return of their sons, brothers, husbands or lovers, who have been missing since the Civil War. VOID depicts the events that take place on the eve of the Beirut Parliament Square sit-in, where the women petition to renew the cases of their missing men. The lives of these women revolve around waiting for the men in their lives. A wait filled with uncertainty, and hope.
Filmmaker Bios:
Naji Bechara was born in Wuppertal, Germany, in 1987. He graduated from Notre Dame University (NDU) in 2009, with a BA in Communication Arts. During his studies Naji was granted a scholarship from the U.S State Department to undergo a summer program in USC School of Cinematic Arts. His first short film “Talk to the Brain” won several awards locally and worldwide. He has worked as a freelancer for the past 4 years in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. He has produced six music videos and worked as unit production manager on a feature film. He has also worked as director and editor on several short documentaries and four fiction shorts.
Jad Beyrouthy is a young lebanese cinematographer and colorist based in Beirut. During his six years of experience, he shot and graded a multitude of commercials, promotional videos, short films, feature films and documentaries. Despite his work as a cinematographer, in 2009 Jad released his first experiment as a director, "Brain Rape" a short experimental documentary. The film got many selections and screenings in local and international film festivals. In 2011, his second attempt as a director "Skoon", a short film, nailed some positive reviews locally but was not distributed internationally. Jad recently became owner and cofounder of Pandora Films, a film production house based in Lebanon. He handled the cinematography and color grading departments. In June 2013, Jad was invited to give a seminar concerning color grading and post-production workflows, at Notre Dame University - Louaize, the same university he graduated from earlier in 2011.
Zeina Makki is a 23 year old Lebanese, who was born and raised in Kuwait. Moved to Lebanon in 2008 and studied Communication Arts/ Radio and Television, and chose directing and scriptwriting as a concentration. Directed a short documentary “Bent not Broken” that was about a personal medical case. The film won the best short documentary award in Monaco Film Festival in 2012. Also directed a short fiction “Once Upon a Scent”, a dark fairytale that participated in a lot of film festivals like The Gulf Film Festival. In September 2012, she took the lead role in a Lebanese feature film “Habbet Loulou” directed by Layal Rajha, which was released in all the Lebanese theaters in September 2013. She also took a lead role in another feature film “Nesswan” directed by Sam Andraos released in February 2014.
Tarek Korkomaz was born on the 12th of April 1991, achieved a BA in Radio Tv and Film at Notre Dame University. He directed several short films; “Murder of a moth” (2010) a stop motion animation that was among the finalists in Worldwide Democracy challenge and was officially selected in Alba international film festival, BJCEM 2011 international film festival and Cabriolet International Film festival. He directed another stop motion animation in 2010 under the title “The Day”; officially selected in Alba international film festival, BJCEM 2011 international film festival, Cabriolet International Film festival, Beirut animated 2 Film Festival and finalist at Zayed University film festival. Then in 2011, his documentary “Chicken” was finalist at Zayed University film festival. And in 2012, his fiction “Plasticine” participated in several festival like WEYA Paralympic international film festival, Monaco Charity International film festival and Fic mec International Film Festival.
Christelle Ighniades was born in 1990, Lebanon; she earned her Bachelor's degree in Communication Arts Radio/TV/Film at Notre Dame University–Louaize. In 2011, her documentary film “و غنية لعبة ” (A game and a Song) was screened at the NDU film festival, where it was awarded for its humane essence. She has also volunteered in several graduating short films as an Art Director. This helped her getting into the professional field, thus, granting her the opportunity to be the Art Director/Lead Scenic Artist in a high-budget animated teaser trailer for a European Feature Film. In 2012, she presented her first graduating narrative short film called “Tu Sens Ce Vent” which would represent NDU in festivals to come, till now it has participated in the NDUFF, FICMEC (5eme Festival du court métrage des écoles du cinema “IESAV”), MCFF (Monaco Charity film festival) and had the chance to participate in the Grand Cinemas and won a certificate of distinction at the 6th NDU film festival. Her current goal is to pursue a Master's degree in Art Direction.
Maria Abdl Karim was born on the 23rd of February 1990 in South of Lebanon. "I got my school degree from Notre Dame De Louaize, and my University degree BA In Communication Arts “Radio/TV” in 2012 from Notre Dame University-Louaize. I Graduated with High Distinction. I finished working on my first short film of a musical genre A Tempo “The 3rd Act” in July 2012. I choose my first film to be a musical because it is very risky and hard to produce and direct, and a big part of me love taking risks, because it’s the only way to learn and progress and develop experience. My short film got accepted and selected in so many international film festivals; Dubai International film festival, The European Independent film festival , and won an award “The Ahmad Khoder Award of Excellency in Arab Filmmaking”, and finally the MashRome Film Festival In Rome. It got screened in various film festivals in Lebanon, as well as on the Big Screen in one of the Lebanese movie theaters for one day. I am now a freelance filmmaker in Lebanon working on other short films and independent projects in the market, and writing as well my first feature film, which will also be produced in the future coming years."
Salim Habr was born in Dubai 1988 were I completed my high school education. "In 2004 I moved to Beirut to start my university studies in TV and Film at Notre Dame University Louaize, where I acquired knowledge of the film industry along with an experience in various TV and film work in several well known TV stations and production houses. In 2008 I graduated from university with a short film diploma telling the story of a Lebanese woman in the midst of the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, in which the story reflects the real characteristics of Lebanese people concerning humility and sacrifice. The film participated in several Lebanese festivals along with Monaco international film festival. Throughout different work experiences in documentary film making, assisting directing in feature films and editing of several projects, I have reached a level of experience that allowed me to participate in a Film project produced by Notre Dame University where I had my first experience in directing a part of a feature film (featuring various A class Actors in the Arab world). My passion in film making and entertainment field continues along the way of my career to reach the goal that I have ever dreamt of."
