It’s possible that the citizens of our 21st century world have never needed community as much as they do now. People used to band together to avoid the danger of sharp-toothed beasts — now those threats are religious radicals, devastating natural disasters, trigger-happy policemen, callous dictators, and selfish politicians. When a danger bigger than ourselves casts a shadow over us, what do we cling to?
For Lebanese citizens, that looming darkness consists of millions of garbage bags piled in public spaces. When the government failed to replace a closed waste facility, collection companies suspended their business, leaving trash bags to rot in the streets. In response, the people of Beirut staged protests against government ignorance. Today, Lebanon’s garbage crisis continues as rubbish is thrown into the Mediterranean, polluting sea life and sparking fresh outrage.
Today we are honored to premiere “Submarine,” Mounia Akl’s award-winning short film that arose from the rubble of this very real issue. The story revolves around a strong, stubborn, and idealistic young Lebanese woman named Hala, who refuses to leave her trash-ridden home on the last boat out of town. Though her neighbors and ex-lover implore her to pack her bags, it’s clear that heartbreak and disappointment fuel her unwavering desire to stay behind. Hala (captivatingly played by Yumma Marwan) wants to go down with the streets her ancestors built their lives upon. In a beautiful act of defiance amongst the chaos of mass departure, Hala turns on a classic Lebanese song — “Tango El Amal” (Tango of Hope) — in a pub called Submarine, inviting her neighbors to join her for one last dance.
For Akl, representing Submarine’s warm, lively community gathering space was vital. In her words: “The reason why I decided on the name ‘Submarine’ is precisely because of what a submarine represents: it’s this place that’s underwater, completely drowning but at the same time there’s this little closed space that has a bit of air. It represents this ray of light in a country that’s sinking.”
Created for her MFA thesis film at Columbia University, Akl wanted to make a film about the mixture of uncertainty, love and hope she has for Beirut, her homeland. “This story started with a feeling of frustration that was triggered by the garbage crisis our government drowned us in. For once, I had the fear that my country was in a dead end,” she describes. “I didn’t have hope, which was a very new feeling to me and not a very nice one. No matter what had happened in our complicated past, I always had hope and my cynicism had never taken over.”
With powerful performances, brilliant set design and an arresting story, “Submarine” is a poignant testament to the importance of community when faced with tragic circumstances. After its long journey through festivals including Cannes and TIFF, we can’t wait for you to watch it here.
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