PARIS: The process of making his debut feature film has turned out to be a bittersweet experience for Lebanese director and screenwriter, Jimmy Keyrouz.
Not only was the filming of “Broken Keys” in his homeland interrupted first by a revolution and then by a global pandemic, but it was unveiled this month as an official selection for the 2020 Cannes Film Festival — after the event had to be canceled for only the second time in its 74-year history, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Still, he said, he is humbled and honored his movie was chosen by the prestigious festival.
The film is clearly a labor of love for 32-year-old Keyrouz, not least because it was filmed in his homeland.
“Lebanon is not a country where there are many feature films produced every year,” he said. “I always wanted to make feature films but it seemed Lebanon was focused on commercials and music videos, with feature films far from usual. Now, however, they are more common.”
Keyrouz, whose family comes from Bcharre in northern Lebanon, began making films during his undergraduate studies at the French-Lebanese Saint Joseph University in Beirut. He said his father was initially skeptical of his career choice but both parents eventually supported his dream, which led him to Columbia University in New York City.
“I wanted to learn as much as possible, so that is why I applied to the top five schools in the US and, in fact, was accepted by three of them,” he said. “I chose Columbia because the school is focused on writing, so my M.A. was in screenwriting and directing. I always thought that becoming a better writer would make me a better storyteller and, therefore, a better film director.”
The seeds for “Broken Keys” — which is produced by Antoun Sehnaoui, the Lebanese-French producer of Ziad Doueiri’s “The Insult,” and features music by award-winning French-Lebanese composer Gabriel Yared — can be found in his studies in the US.
“Before graduating I had to make a film for my thesis in 2014, and this is how ‘Broken Keys’ came about,” said Keyrouz. “I wanted to write about something I could relate to, and at that time I was following the wars in Syria and Iraq.
“When I heard what Daesh was doing, I was deeply shocked. They had banned music, and it was inconceivable to me that something as beautiful and as innocent as music should be banned.”
Keyrouz, who plays the piano as a hobby, then came across a news story about a pianist and other musicians who continued to play music in the midst of war and starvation, which he found deeply moving and inspirational.
“It is easy to say bad things about war but it is very difficult to send a message of hope in the darkest times, and those musicians who kept on with their music were inspiring in many ways,” he said.
“I wrote a short film, ‘Nocturne in Black,’ which was shot in 2015. It won the student Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the same institution that awards the Oscars every year. There is a special (awards event) for films by students and in 2016, out of 1749 films, my team and I won the Gold Medal (in the narrative category). The film was later on Amazon and shown on….French TV.”
His next project was a feature documentary about climate change, and then in 2018 he decided to start work on a feature film because “that is the path every director follows.” His particular path took him back to his roots.
“I had to come back from New York to shoot in Lebanon, where I met producer Antoun Sehnaoui,” said Keyrouz. “He had produced a film, ‘The Insult,’ which I thought was excellent. Antoun loved the idea of my film and we started preproduction last July.
“Our screenplay….was one of six selected from more than a thousand by Black List, a Los Angeles-based institution that recognizes the best screenplays every year. I was selected for their annual feature lab. Getting that recognition from Black List was an early victory for our entire team and gave us more confidence as we went into production in October.”
Filming began in Lebanon and then moved to Mosul in Iraq because Keyrouz wanted the film to be as authentic as possible. The stars are all familiar faces in Lebanon, with the main role taken by Tarek Yaacoub, who also appeared in “Nocturne in Black.”
“The story takes place in a war-ravaged, Middle-Eastern, Daesh-controlled neighborhood,” he said. “It concerns a pianist who struggles to rebuild his piano, which was destroyed by terrorists because music was banned. He dreams of a musical career in Europe, or anywhere, but cannot pursue his dream because of where he is.
“In Mosul, we shot the film in the last place where Daesh fought and then we returned to Lebanon — just as the Oct. 17 revolution broke out and we had to stop shooting. Then we were able to start again but were stopped in Feb. by COVID-19, and we had to work remotely.”
Given the themes of the film, music plays an important role and Keyrouz said he was honored to have Yared provide the score, not only because he is an Oscar and Grammy-winning composer who worked on films such as “The English Patient,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Cold Mountain,” but “because he is extremely inspiring and talented and has a Middle-Eastern background.”
He added: “I thought it would be great to collaborate with him and I had a wonderful time working with him and observing him.”
Next up for Keyrouz is a film about corruption, which is a topical choice given the current unrest in many countries, not least Lebanon.
“I made a documentary in 2018 about the social impact of climate change in Africa,” he said. “I have always loved the natural world, and enjoy hiking and planting. When I was younger, my dad and I used to plant apple trees in his garden.
“At present, climate change is the most urgent issue and that is why I am writing about corruption and destruction such as we have seen in the rainforests of Indonesia and the Amazon. I care passionately about these things.”
From Beirut to New York and (almost) Cannes: a filmmaker’s journey
https://arab.news/pupfn
From Beirut to New York and (almost) Cannes: a filmmaker’s journey
- Revolution…pandemic…the incredible story of the making of Jimmy Keyrouz’s debut feature is almost as dramatic as the film itself
- Next up for Keyrouz is a film about corruption, which is a topical choice given the current unrest in many countries
May Calamawy, May Elghety join cast of Lee Cronin’s ‘The Mummy’
DUBAI: Egyptian actresses May Calamawy and May Elghety have joined the cast of “The Mummy,” a new feature from award-winning Irish writer and director Lee Cronin.
Calamawy, who is also Palestinian, and Elghety star alongside Mexican actress Veronica Falcon, as well as previously announced cast members Jack Reynor and Laia Costa.
Plot details for the film remain undisclosed.
The film is produced by Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, and New Line Cinema, and is currently in production in Ireland and Spain.
Calamawy is best known for her role as Layla El-Faouly in Marvel’s “Moon Knight” and as Dena Hassan in the critically acclaimed series “Ramy.”
Elghety gained attention for her breakthrough role in the award-winning Egyptian film “Clash” (2016), which opened the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes.
Tamtam’s Goast Flower: Growing a vibrant Saudi music community
ALKHOBAR: With her signature curls and radiant smile, internationally acclaimed Saudi singer-songwriter Tamtam brought her boundless energy to Alkhobar this week, aiming to nurture and connect the Kingdom’s growing music scene from the ground up.
Known mononymously as Tamtam, the artist chose early in her career to go by a single name — a decision that helped to maintain her privacy while allowing listeners to focus on her message and music. Over time, the name became synonymous with her genre-blending sound and global appeal by singing in both English and Arabic, and her bold advocacy for creative freedom.
The event, hosted at Bohemia Cafe and supported by MDLBEAST Radio, was part of Goast Flower’s community activation — a grassroots initiative launched by Tamtam to support emerging artists and independent creatives. The gathering transformed the space into a pop-up creative hub, where artists exchanged merchandise, contacts and ideas over coffee — free to anyone with a hand stamp at the door. Entrance was free with sign-up, allowing MDLBEAST to collect people’s contact information to stay connected.
MDLBEAST Radio co-hosted their first such event in Tamtam’s hometown, Riyadh, a few weeks earlier — a sahoor at Beast House — and this was their second stop on this mission.
“Honestly, I’m so, so happy. This is really cool because we get to play the music,” Tamtam told Arab News.
During the Riyadh sahoor, they merely mingled but did not perform or listen to music.
“In Alkhobar, so many people showed up — people are excited. There aren’t many events going on in Alkhobar, so I really feel like everyone is super appreciative,” Tamtam said.
She added: “The whole point of this is for artists and people in the music industry to meet, and that’s what’s happening. Like literally everyone’s telling me, ‘I’ve met so many people, thank you so much.’ I’m so happy — we need it. The goal has been achieved again.”
Raised in Riyadh and now based between the Kingdom and Los Angeles, Tamtam’s music explores themes of identity, gender equality and cultural connection. She blends alternative R&B with pop and personal storytelling, and her independent streak led her to create her own platform for creative control.
“Goast Flower is an independent music label I started a couple of years ago,” she said. “I’ve been releasing my music through it — it was a way for me as an independent artist to have my own label because I don’t want to be controlled by anyone. It’s amazing to have that freedom as an artist. I’m very grateful.”
Beyond being a label, Goast Flower functions as a creative hub. Its first major project, the Saudi Music Community, is a public database designed to help local talent connect.
“I literally collected all the artists I knew. Fulana, another Saudi artist, collected all the artists she knew. We put together a Google document and made it live,” she explained. “Now there’s another document where people can join and add their information, and someone checks it. In this way, artists can find each other in Saudi Arabia. A lot of artists are like, ‘Hey, I’m looking for a female rapper,’ or ‘I’m looking for a guitar player for my live show.’ And now they can just go to the database and find people.”
In Alkhobar, the idea found fertile ground.
Singer-songwriter, architect, photographer and university professor, Yazeed Al-Amasi, who attended both the Riyadh and Alkhobar events, said: “I’ve been living here in Dhahran since 2011, and this is the first time I feel super connected to the music community,” he told Arab News. “I don’t want to say it, but I think people are friendlier and more open to collaborating in Alkhobar. Or maybe people in Riyadh were just tired from Ramadan.”
A key part of the gathering was the merchandise exchange, a concept introduced by Tamtam to encourage artistic support without the barrier of money. Participants brought T-shirts, lyric booklets, CDs, stickers and creative works to swap with one another — artist to artist.
“The idea is that instead of spending money, artists are supporting each other. It’s a gesture of support that this community is all about,” Tamtam said.
“I really, really believe in this community, and I don’t think anyone can grow without a community in any industry,” she added. “I just feel like the music industry in Saudi needs this push, and the foundation needs to be stronger.”
During the event, guests took the mic to introduce themselves and share what they were seeking — producers, vocalists, instrumentalists, collaborators. Photographers offering band headshots and live performance images also stepped forward, strengthening the bonds in the room.
“I actually discovered local musician Zamzam through the Saudi Music Community when I was putting this together,” Tamtam said.
Zamzam, a frequent Bohemia performer and lover of all music genres, walked in as Tamtam was speaking about her. Zamzam, who also goes by a mononym, found the database through Tamtam’s initiative and was excited to meet her in person.
Both shrieked in delight on noticing they were face-to-face.
“Maybe we will have a Tamtam and Zamzam collaboration in the future,” someone said in the background.
“I added myself to the database!” Zamzam told Arab News. “I follow Tamtam and I saw the (Instagram) story about Goast Flower. Whenever I see a label or something that could be a creative hub, I want to connect.”
The venue itself played a role. Bohemia Cafe has become something of a beacon for alternative and indie creatives in the Eastern Province.
One of them, Fatima Falath, shared that she had written a song inspired by her visit to Bohemia.
“Two years ago, I was sitting at Bohemia and got inspired by the drawing on their cup,” Falath told Arab News.
“I had some matcha — even in the song we mentioned matcha,” Falath said with a laugh. “I sang and wrote the lyrics, and my friend and producer, who goes by Hajj Alibaba, did the background music. I made all my friends and family listen to it — it’s a driving-around-in-the-car song. I haven’t published it yet, but I’m inspired to publish it tonight at this event because we wrote it here.”
Everyone at Bohemia had a chance to listen to Falath’s creation for the very first time, and many other musicians joined after and played their songs.
Rohit Jayakaran of MDLBEAST Radio drove in from Riyadh to support the event along with Tamtam and the team. For nearly four hours, they were fired up to be there. He was beaming as the songs were being played.
“We’re very excited to be part of the Saudi music community and support it as MDLBEAST Radio,” Jayakaran told Arab News. “We believe that great things will come out of this community. Bohemia — this is the place where people come for music in Sharqiya. What I discovered today is that there is a community — and it’s a growing community. It’s eclectic. It has all sorts of dynamic energies in here. And it’s just really nice to have this here because it didn’t exist before. It’s amazing. It’s awesome.”
Jayakaran hopes that connections made will showcase their collaborative talents at the next live show at Bohemia, in Riyadh, or just in general.
For now, Goast Flower remains Tamtam’s personal label — though she doesn’t rule out signing other artists in the future.
“I really, really respect the artist. Unless I know I can invest a lot of money in the artist — money, time and effort — I’m not going to sign them,” she said. “A lot of the big people in this industry take advantage of artists. Artists don’t make enough money from streaming. The music business has a lot of work to do.”
She hopes that Saudi Arabia can do things differently.
“Saudi is such a special place right now because it’s the beginning of the music industry. We are in a place where we can shape it in a different way — we don’t have to copy the West. We can learn from the mistakes happening in other industries.”
Next, Goast Flower is headed to Jeddah, where they will host a similar activation on April 16 at Hayy Jameel.
It will essentially go from the heart of the Kingdom to the two coasts, like a hug to the music community in Saudi Arabia.
Highlights from Art Week Riyadh
- Selected works by some of the international artists participating in the inaugural edition of AWR, which runs until April 13
Wael Shawky
‘The Gulf Project Camp’
This work is part of the award-winning Egyptian artist’s ongoing titular series. Its full title is “The Gulf Project Camp (after ‘Hajj (Panoramic Overview of Makkah)’ by Andreas Magnus Hunglinger, 1803)” — a nod to its inspiration from the Austrian orientalist’s rare early-19th-century drawing of Islam’s holiest city. The project as a whole “investigates the Arabian Peninsula and its modern history through the lenses of migration, trade, petropolitics, religion and tribal alliances” and “sheds light on specific regional and historical moments: the Utub migration; the establishment of the Emirate of Diriyah, the first Saudi state; and the rise of Wahhabism,” according to a guidebook for the 2019 Sharjah Biennale. “Historical treaties, conferences, speeches and experiences of war are rendered in the artwork through imagery and the use of various industrial materials, such as tarmac, graphite and metal dust.”
Anahita Razmi
‘No National Flag Uses a Gradient #1’
Razmi is a German-born artist of Iranian and German descent whose practice, she has written, draws on her background to explore “contextual, geographical, and ideological shifts — with a focus on shifts between an ‘East’ and a ‘West.’” She added that she is interested in “a fluid, transcultural approach to contemporary art and its histories and references,” as well as “in work that is producing testing grounds for possibilities of import/export, hybrid identities, and the constructions and ambiguities of cultural representation.” This work was created in 2022 and is a perfect representation of those interests, seemingly representing the lack of room for nuance in nationalist symbols and rhetoric.
Safwan Dahoul
‘Dream 42’
This work forms part of the Syrian artist’s ongoing “Dream” series, which Dahoul began back in the 1980s. According to Ayyam Gallery, the series explores “the physical and psychological effects of alienation, solitude, and longing that punctuate the human experience at various stages in life.” “Dream 42,” however, is a notable departure from the earlier works in the series, which always featured a female protagonist, who often “takes on the form of a despairing woman in isolated interiors.” Her disappearance from this particular work “could be understood as her final transcendence of a stifling world,” the gallery wrote, noting that in later paintings she is depicted as “a sort of angel.”
Neïl Beloufa
‘Double Standard — canyon’
The French-Algerian artist and filmmaker’s works, according to Francois Ghebaly Gallery, address “themes of geopolitics, technology, urbanism, and ideology through layered projects that combine video, sculpture, social participation, and often dynamic processes like sensor activation or algorithmic control.” This particular piece, as the title suggests, is illustrative of Beloufa’s interest in dichotomies, such as reality and fiction, or presence and absence. “Combining dichotomies allows him to deconstruct our belief systems and presconceived ideas,” We Art Partners have written of Beloufa’s work. “He tries to confront his audience with his own stereotypes to demonstrate their unbelief.” The work is part of the artist’s “Double Standard” series, which forms, according to a catalogue from his solo exhibition in Basel’s Kunsthalle, “an aesthetic world expressed through gaming-inspired forms and the language of digital imagery.”
Lamya Gargash
‘Arches Light, Old Jubail Market, Sharjah, UAE’
The Emirati artist has long been inspired by inhabited and/or abandoned spaces, “as well as cultural heritage in a time of rapid change,” according to Dubai gallery The Third Line. In her photo series “Kun” (which translates as ‘To Be’), from which this work is taken, Gargash “connects the cities of Sharjah, Dubai, London and Bath through carefully curated gold draping gestures captured within each frame to create a unique bond,” Maraya Art Center’s catalogue for her solo exhibition there stated. “This draping, golden fabric is placed into various spaces, guided by the Qibla, a modified compass indicating the direction of prayer. Gargash uses the Qibla to symbolize direction, spirituality and unity. The gold fabric covers and conceals elements in its path; this inclusion breaks the silence of the still frame, drawing attention to focal points and bridging the gap between what is considered sacred and secular.
Devastatingly good: ‘The Last of Us’ season two is a bleak triumph
JEDDAH: The key to the success of season one of HBO’s acclaimed post-apocalyptic video-game-franchise adaptation “The Last of Us” was the relationship between world-weary smuggler Joel (Pedro Pascal) and his ‘cargo,’ 14-year-old orphan Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who’s immune to the parasitic fungal infection that wiped out the majority of mankind over the previous two decades.
In season two, which launches April 13 on OSN+, that relationship has become strained. In part because the now-19-year-old Ellie is raging against her father (-figure), as 19-year-olds will. But also due to the decisions Joel made in the season one finale (spoiler alert) — keeping Ellie alive by slaughtering dozens of people and possibly denying the world a cure.
So fans hoping for a repeat of the crackling chemistry between Pascal and Ramsey that made up the majority of season one’s screen time will be disappointed there’s not more of it here: Ellie has made friends from her own age bracket in the relatively peaceful township of Jackson over the five years that have passed since season one and is now living in Joel’s garage, rather than the main house. It’s a big loss, not having Joel and Ellie at the heart of the show, and none of the other relationships fully compensate.
However, once again showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (the latter of whom is also head of the games’ developer, Naughty Dog) have managed to navigate the line between satisfying fans of the games and viewers who know nothing of the story.
The season begins slowly, establishing the new dynamics between Joel and Ellie, and introducing us to some of Jackson’s other inhabitants while showing that a functioning, peaceful community can still exist in an otherwise ruined world. Don’t get too cozy, though. We’re also introduced to Abby and her friends, who we quickly learn are survivors of Joel’s finale rampage out for vengeance. And they’re closing in on Jackson.
The mellow vibe disappears fast. There’s an all-out battle against a horde of infected that compares favorably with the very best of “Game of Thrones,” and displays of narrative audacity that only very skilled writers and performers can successfully pull off and still retain their audience — or, at least, the majority (some will definitely decide not to stick with it).
Like the game on which it’s based, season two is a different, darker, bleaker affair than the first, tackling topics that are rarely addressed in this genre: cycles of violence; the difference between justice and vengeance (or justice and selfishness); the destructive and constructive powers of love; the crushing devastation of grief; and much more. And, like the game, it’s a great piece of storytelling that rewards your attention.
Dubai is a ‘global city,’ says actress Millie Bobby Brown
DUBAI: British actress Millie Bobby Brown has said Dubai is a city unlike any she has visited before, highlighting its multicultural character and distinctive atmosphere.
The “Stranger Things” star commented while filming a new global campaign for the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, alongside her husband, actor and model Jake Bongiovi.
Called “Find Your Story,” the campaign highlights a range of activities and attractions available for visitors to Dubai, including those on short stopovers.
The short film follows the couple during a layover at Dubai International Airport, where they discover a mysterious script that guides them on a cinematic journey through key locations. Featured sites include Al-Seef, the Museum of the Future, Burj Khalifa and the Al-Qudra desert. It ends on a cliffhanger, encouraging visitors to continue their own story in the city.
The film marks Brown and Bongiovi’s first on-screen appearance together. Discussing her excitement about the project, Brown said: “Dubai is such a global city and it’s different to any place that I’ve ever been to. It really does feel like many different places all in one city.”
After visiting Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, she added: “This is going to be one of my core memories. This is unbelievable. I’m looking at it, I’m working under it … it’s very cool.”
Bongiovi added: “We love Dubai and the desert is unlike anything I have ever seen before. Exploring the city was really special and we have created many unforgettable memories during our time here.”
Written and co-directed by Argentine filmmaker Armando Bo, who won an Academy Award for “Birdman,” the campaign film also features direction by international industry award winner Felipe Gomez Aparicio.
“In this short film we knew that we were telling a story, but we were also showing the world how amazing Dubai is. The locations are perfect to showcase what the city has to offer,” said Bo.
Diego Guijarro, the director of photography, said: “It was really an amazing experience to shoot here – the landmarks, the landscapes. I knew it was something I always wanted to do, it was a place that I have never been before.”
