Faraya
Spring Grants 2019 - Development Stage
Nadim Tabet, Mounia Akl / TV Series / Lebanon, Qatar / 52 min / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Drama, Thriller, Social Issues, Crime
Synopsis
In its attempt to overcome a long-lasting economic crisis, the town hall of the luxurious Faraya resort relinquishes several acres of land to the real estate project “Faraya 2030” and a ski competition is held to celebrate the launch of construction. But on the first day of competition, the corpse of an Ethiopian housemaid employed by one of Faraya’s bourgeois families is found at the bottom of the tracks and brings the festivities to a halt. Said and his chief are immediately subject to hierarchical pressure, urging them to bring their investigation to a close in order to be able to resume the festivities. The chief of police soon concludes that the housekeeper fell by accident. Uncomfortable with this hasty conclusion, Said decides to pursue his investigation in secret, relying on the help of people from his entourage who are as inexperienced as he is. He will bravely continue to poke his nose where it does not belong, and soon he comes face-to-face with his fellow villagers, who fear that his revelations could jeopardize the work opportunities offered by Faraya 2030. Confronted with this unexpected opposition from his own social milieu, Said is faced with a dilemma—whether to end his investigation or pursue his quest for the truth, at the risk of finding himself alone against the community.
Credits
- Director
- Nadim Tabet, Mounia Akl
- Screenwriter
- Nadim Tabet, Mounia Akl, Monsieur Untel, Wadih Safieddine
- Producer
- Wadih Safieddine
- Production Company
- Deja Vu
- Production Company
- Deja Vu Beirut
About the Director
Nadim Tabet is a Lebanese director who directed several short films that screened internationally. In 2001, he co-founded the Lebanese Film Festival and has worked as a film programmer for several European festivals. His first feature film 'One of These Days' (2017) premiered at Rome Film Fest and was sold by Celluloid Dreams. He is currently preparing his second feature, as well as a series titled 'Faraya'. Nadim Tabet also directs fashion films and music videos for several bands coming from Europe and the Arab world and gives conferences on cinema for various universities.
Mounia Akl is an award-winning Lebanese filmmaker. Her short film, ‘Submarine’ (2016), was in the Official Selection of the 69th Cannes Film Festival (Cinéfondation), SXSW, TIFF and Dubai Film Festival, where it won the Muhr Jury Prize. In 2017, Mounia took part in the Lebanon Factory and co-directed the short film ‘El Gran Libano’, which opened Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and screened at BFI London. ‘Costa Brava, Lebanon’ was developed during the Cannes’ Cinéfondation Residency. Mounia is currently developing new projects in both TV and film, one of which being her second feature film.