Birds of September
Spring Grant 2012 - Production/Post-Production Stage
Sarah Francis / Feature Experimental or Essay / Lebanon, Qatar / 2013 / 95 min / Colour / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Road Trip, Essay Documentary
Synopsis
Hiding behind the glass of his moving bubble, the narrator explores the streets of Beirut while his camera constantly searches for something, for someone. This glass van becomes a moving confession room, captures moments in people’s lives on its journey. Their confessions are true, blunt and intimate. Inside this see-through box, the sounds of the city dissolve, the mood is intimate and anonymous faces becomes familiar. People present themselves as individuals, isolated from the distracting elements around them.
Credits
- Director
- Sarah Francis
- Screenwriter
- Sarah Francis
- Producer
- Sarah Francis
About the Director
Sarah Francis grew up and studied in Beirut. She worked as a film director, editor and content researcher for various production companies and regional museums. In 2013 she produced and directed her first feature film, 'Birds of September', which premiered in the CPH:DOX main competition and then screened in numerous festivals and museums (Art of the Real Lincoln Center (NY), Stedelijk Museum (NL), Doxa (Ca), DMZ Docs (South Korea), etc.) and received several awards. Her works also include short films and videos ('Nawal's Rituals', produced by Ashkal Alwan, 2014). Her second feature film ‘As Above so below’ (2020) premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2020. 'Dead Dog' is her third feature film, and the closest to the fiction genre.
Awards and Festival History
Festivals
Dubai International Film Festival 2013, Muhr Arab Documentary (UAE)
CPH DOX 2013, in International Main Competition (Denmark)
Art of the Real 2015, North American Premiere (USA)
Festival International du Film Oriental de Genève 2015 (Switzerland)
AFAC
Won Best Film at International Competition, the White Gooze Award) at DMZ International Documentary Film Festival 2014 (South Korea).
Won First Work Award at Festival Mediterraneen de Tetouan 2014 (Morocco)
Received Special Mention at Pravo Ljudski F