As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in the virtual worlds of video games, I can only imagine the sheer power that lies behind the creation of “Green Line.” The film, directed by Sylvie Ballyot, seems to have taken the concept of gaming and storytelling to a whole new level.
“Growing up amidst the turmoil of Beirut’s war in the ’80s, I was steeped in my grandmother’s chilling tales of ‘red hell.’ The stark normalization of death left me questioning the essence of life and the seemingly endless conflict, which bore an eerie resemblance to countless other wars.”
In brief, the description for director Sylvie Ballyot’s latest movie titled “Green Line” was unveiled, as it made its debut in the international competition at the 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival this week.
In this documentary about the Lebanese Civil War, Fida, through small-scale figures and replicas, engages in conversations with militia members and witnesses who were present during a battle she witnessed from her school at age 10, an incident that claimed over 100 lives. Fida is Elfida “Fida” Bizri, the co-writer of the film’s screenplay alongside Ballyot.
I had the incredible opportunity to meet with the director, the protagonist, Charlotte Tourrès (the editor), and Céline Loiseau (the producer) in the charming Swiss town of Locarno. We sat down for a discussion about our film, which you can preview the trailer on the Locarno Film Festival’s official website here. During this gathering, we also shared some behind-the-scenes insights into the making of this fascinating project.
Ballyot disclosed that the notion, the strong yearning within him, actually took root many years ago. He’s known Elfida for two decades now, having encountered her shortly after the 2006 war – the largest conflict in Lebanon to date. Upon their initial meeting, he sensed there was a unique quality about her. She frequently discussed the delicate boundary between life and death with him. Her affinity for the linguistic nuances of war and violence resonated with her immediately, piquing his curiosity.
Initially, she believed that she might have a part as a director in bringing that tale to life and uncovering hidden truths. However, she didn’t take any immediate action. “Later on, many years later, I felt the urge to begin writing,” the filmmaker shared. “At first, it was a full-length fiction movie, but due to financial constraints and other reasons, it couldn’t be produced.”
Instead of being a setback, making the fiction film proved to be fortuitous, as she contended. “Due to the near-miraculous failure to produce this movie, I found myself compelled to create scenes using miniature figurines, which were based on Fida’s recollections of her past and childhood experiences,” she explained. Upon sharing her work, Ballyot noted, “It turned out that the miniature figurine in the film had already provided a significant emotional release for her,” he concluded.
Bizri reminisced about the time when Sylvie proposed the idea of making a film. “Sylvie brought up the topic of creating a movie,” she said. “Initially, I wasn’t quite clear on what that entailed, but I wanted to be polite. So, I responded with ‘Sure, if you feel like it, why not,'” she remembered. “However, I never thought about myself being in movies, so I didn’t grasp the implications at first. If I had known then what I know now, I would have been apprehensive about taking on such a project.”
Initially, Ballot requested Bizri to narrate her life story so he could reenact scenes using figurines. “When she initially depicted, in a dynamic series with miniature figures, a distressing incident that I had encountered when I was 22, which is not featured in the current film, it was extremely unsettling for me,” Bizri explained. “Since my emotional recollection – perhaps this is true for others who don’t comprehend what they are experiencing when they recall later – I remember specific, static images instead of sequences.”
As a gamer recalling an intense session, let me share my thoughts: “I vividly remember two snapshots – one where I was standing tall, and another where I found myself sprawled on the ground. However, there’s this blurry gap in between that’s hard to decipher. My memories are scattered like a glitched video game, which made me question the accuracy of the sequences presented by Ballyot at first. Initially, I denied those sequences because I don’t recall falling. In fact, it seems Ballyot herself was responsible for my virtual stumble in this particular sequence.”
Bizri commented, “She completed the missing pieces of the mental pictures I had. It was a mix of distressing and healing for me since it released me from being trapped by fixed images. That was particularly significant.”
Since the movie was divided into multiple parts, there was a lot more terrifying moments for her to encounter. Sylvie’s proposal at the second phase for Bizri to meet with the militia was particularly alarming as she had no desire to revisit those memories or communicate with them. However, she also thought that if the figurines had a positive impact on her, perhaps they could do the same for others and potentially unlock new possibilities.
Speaking with the combatants, onlookers, and locals alike proved challenging, Bizri admitted. “They’re accustomed to conflicts,” he explained. “However, what ultimately broke the ice was that I wasn’t there to argue, but rather, to listen and learn from their perspectives.” Initially, they were puzzled by my approach, as we often approach them seeking accountability. But once they realized I was genuinely seeking understanding, it became less contentious.
Read More
- BODEN PREDICTION. BODEN cryptocurrency
- GHST PREDICTION. GHST cryptocurrency
- BETA PREDICTION. BETA cryptocurrency
- STRD PREDICTION. STRD cryptocurrency
- Mango Markets Exploiter Found Guilty Of Fraud And Manipulation
- GBP EUR PREDICTION
- MATIC PREDICTION. MATIC cryptocurrency
- LOOKS PREDICTION. LOOKS cryptocurrency
- BRN/USD
- TNSR PREDICTION. TNSR cryptocurrency
2024-08-16 10:55