West Beirut
1998 · Movie · PG-13 · 105 min · ★ 7.1 · 89% critics
In 1975 Beirut, two teenage friends try to keep their sense of adventure as civil war divides their city. Their everyday lives become shaped by checkpoints, fear, family strain, and the dangerous line between West and East.
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Details
- Original title
- West Beyrouth
- Years
- 1998
- Release date
- 1998-10-30
- Language
- AR
- Rated
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Critic score
- 89/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.1/10 (48 votes)
About
You may like this if you enjoy personal war stories like Persepolis or Machuca, centered on youth, humor, and survival; Not for you if you need clear historical explanation.
Pros: human coming-of-age; humor amid hardship; vivid Beirut setting | Cons: limited historical context; episodic storytelling; uneven performances
Themes
- civil war
- 1970s
- coming of age
- teenage boy
- super 8mm footage
- armed conflict
- lebanese civil war
- teenage protagonist
Awards & recognition
- International Submission to the Academy Awards · 1999 · nominated
Cast & crew
- RD
Rami Doueiri
as Tarek
- MC
Mohammad Chamas
as Omar
- RA
Rola Al Amin
as May
Carmen Lebbos
as Hala
- JN
Joseph Bou Nassar
as Riad
- LN
Liliane Nemri
as Nahida
- MM
Mahmoud Mabsout
as Hassan
Hassan Farhat
as Militiaman Zeytouni
Fadi Abi Samra
as Darwiche
- LK
Leila Karam
as Oum Walid
Directed by Ziad Doueiri