Movies on the Move: Background, Structure, and Vision
Within a loud and congested community, we strive for little moments of serenity and reflection. The fast-track life has absorbed us into its rush, dragging us from one location to another, to fulfil task after the other, in what seems to be an endless cycle, making us worried, anxious, and lonesome. Human interaction has faded in a world of capital, with businesses and careers fostering competition and individualism, perhaps as modern survival-of-the-fittest tactics. And a cemented invasion of natural spaces further hinders spontaneous human connection.
With a history of wars and conflicts, in a country swirling in political corruption, economic regression and social unease – to say the least -, we persist to struggle for reasonable peace, stability, and possible change. Accumulations of rivalry constructed great walls of separation between individuals from same or different generations, regions, and cultures, distancing people even farther apart.
From a group of friends living in villages of Aley El Ghareb (Shahhar) region of Mount-Lebanon, Lebanon, coming from similar cultural contexts, carrying diverse visions and interests in life, our project gently developed. An appreciation of art, a longing for genuine human interaction, and a curiosity to debate social and cultural matters of our country and the world, are elements that built our common ground towards a simple yet unpreceded concept for a joint project.
Since it is our right to enjoy open public spaces, and since it’s everyone’s right to have access to artworks with purpose, we decided to screen movies, an approachable form of art by most people, that convey certain social realities in a green public space in the villages of the area of Mount Lebanon, as a start.
We allow our followers on Facebook to vote for a movie out of three different options of a mutual theme, and the selected movie is screened. This screening takes place in a new public space every other Wednesday, where entrance is free and popcorn is offered (gratuitement!). We only ask people to bring their matts and cushions along with some enthusiasm for a friendly gathering. After each movie, we try to induce a fruitful discussion on the movie and discover our opinions and thoughts without previously set judgments.
Movie on the move creates a healthy and warm space for people to meet at a level of depth and contemplation, respect and appreciation of one another, afar from everyday life stress and concerns.
We aim to tour around as much locations as possible, explore the beauty of different regions across Lebanon, and share this space with as much people as we can, once we acquire the logistic and material support that allows it.
Effective change is led by constructive communication and awareness, and perhaps this is a chance for such growth.
