Parachutes - Unlimited Art - Act 2

Presenting more photography, live music, short films, and even a poetry reading, the second edition of "Parachutes" took place on Wednesday, August 15 and was yet again proof that the arts are not extinct in Lebanon. Although a smaller group of people showed up at Nova Club to be a part of the audience, the headcount was still pleasing, and, all in all, the night was very entertaining! Roland Azar, on sound, had it all under control with the system’s set-up and maintenance. Nathalie Jeha and Rachel Maksoud were looking Rocker Chic as they presented their event and introduced the artists while Patrick Mitri snapped away with his camera.

Starting off the night was Mona Bassil, a “jack of all trades”. She is a writer, voice over artist, TV director, magazine journalist, DJ, and singer, and last night she gave us a taste of her poetry and prose. Standing elegantly, charming the crowd with her fluent French accent, she read a selection from her published book of poetry, Maelstrom. She continued on with a few of her English pieces, grabbing the audience’s attention with her perfect tone and moving stance. “Emotional Bankruptcy…” , and my concentration was focused on her compellingly raging voice and the message she wanted to get across. I found myself reflected in a lot of her words, and as an aspiring writer myself, I can say that was my favorite part of the evening.

Next came the short films section. As in the first event, a few student films were screened, followed by the audience’s commentary, feedback, and questions for the directors. The films covered contemporary topics which I believe everyone in the audience could somehow identify with. Choufouneh Hebouneh, by Imad Halimi (AUST), is a short romantic comedy focusing on the struggle of fitting in; a timid, awkward young man tries to fit in with his peers and catch the attention of his crush. Hatta Fi Wakten Akhar, by Sana Radi (Lebanese University), is a short drama film portraying our society and our generation’s life and struggle as a young girl seems stuck between her family life in the village and her social life down in the city. A Baalbek, by Samir Syriani (USEK), is based on experiences and happenings which occurred on Samir’s way to Baalbek during the shooting of another one of his projects which was later scratched; it portrays some comic and yet serious notes on life in Lebanon as a couple take their first road trip to Baalbek. Side Note: “A Baalbek” has won Special Jury Mention at The NDU Film Festival, Best Short Film at the European Film Festival, and it is included in the Official Selection at the Gulf Film Festival in Dubai, the Arab Film Festival, the Cabriolet Film Festival, and the EuroArab Film Festival (Spain). Samir has also been invited to represent his movie as a guest at the Oberhausen International Film Festival in Germany.

For the photography segment, Youssef Nassar presented a slideshow of his photographs in addition to his cinematography reel. His photos ranged from fashion photo shoots, to landscapes, and, his specialty, portraits. His talent is unmistakable and was particularly portrayed in his compilation of music videos and short film clips. I especially enjoyed the snippets of his film projects! He has an interesting and quirky style which greatly appealed to my interest.

Closing up the show were Maria Az and Sherine Atat with some live music for us to enjoy. The duo did well, performing a short yet pleasing set. Some great songs were covered, including Uninvited (Alanis Morissette), Sunrise (Norah Jones), and Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley). As I listened to their interpretations of those songs, I couldn’t help but realize how similar Maria’s voice is to Norah Jones’ . Closing my eyes, I could feel the intimacy glowing in her voice. The spotlight was on the pair, Sherine was playing her heart out on the keyboard, Maria was singing along, hitting ,nearly flawlessly, the ringing, high notes… It was a great performance! They finished up and got out of the spotlight only to be placed back in the spotlight again when Maria’s friends surprised her with a birthday cake. Needless to say, she was surprised! Happy birthday Maria!

Once more, I must say how gratifying it is to be surrounded by an artistically influenced crowd of people who are willing to share their talents with their fellow artists. It must take some nerve to put down all timidity and shyness in order to present their personal work for everyone to see. I also appreciate the constructive criticism the audience has been offering. So far, I have not heard any sly remarks or comments; it all seems to be in good spirits, in attempt to support and encourage these upcoming artists and help them down the path of success. Cheers to the directors, musicians, singers, photographers, writers, organizers, and supporters that made this event happen! Keep it up, art takes effort!

Check out the review of Parachute's first chapter.
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