Crowning Girls for Change 2021 season with Forum ZFD

Beirut Film Society wrapped up Girls for Change 2021 program in Bourj Hammoud with the support of forumZFD. The participants received intensive training on the most prominent concepts of screenwriting, stereotypes of women in cinema, and audio-visual arts techniques in order to enable them to use new narratives, the basics of photography, sound, music and editing as a tool for self-expression and to shed light on matters of interest to them.

ForumZFD

Girls for Change, an initiative created by Beirut Film Society, is based on the belief in the power of cinema as a tool for change. Its objective is to help vulnerable girls from the most affected areas in Beirut to rebuild their shattered lives after the port explosion through training them on how cinema can be a tool for building hope through telling stories about themselves and their city. Nearly a year after the Beirut Blast, and in recognition of many individual and group initiatives that have been leading and contributing to the much-needed recovery efforts, forumZFD is supporting initiatives who are building upon this solidarity and go beyond immediate relief efforts. Within this framework, forumZFD is delighted to be a partner in the Girls for Change initiative that has the power to amplify the voices of so many girls to share their experiences and thoughts at these difficult times the country is going through.

 

Sam Lahoud

In this context, Founder and Chair of Beirut Film Society, Sam Lahoud, pointed out that the reconstruction of Beirut is essential, but in parallel with restoring hope for life and the future within the residents of the capital, especially the girls who were affected by the explosion of the port, by empowering them to interact with their peers and transmitting to them certain skills that enhance their confidence in themselves and help them discover their talents.

In order to create a bridge of communication between the audiovisual arts professionals and the participants and to show them successful models, actresses Zeina Makki and Aline Lahoud shared their experiences and career milestones.

 

Zeina Makki

Actress Zeina Makki shared a story of pain and courage as a result of a health condition that put an end to some of her hobbies, but her passion prompted her to tell her story in a documentary film, turning pain into a beautiful form of art. She also established an NGO to support everyone going through similar circumstances. She indicated that challenging characters fascinate her and that she cautiously deals with social media.

 

Aline Lahoud

Actress and singer Aline Lahoud called upon the participants to never underestimate the first steps in their journey towards achieving their goals. Besides, she considered that arts, of all kinds, most notably theater and singing, constitute wide spaces for expression and personal development. She also encouraged the use of social media for raising awareness.

Since Beirut Film Society pays special attention to the concept of responsible filmmaking, it offered a special session with actress and director Zeina Daccache that focused on the role of drama as a therapy tool and a communication technique.

And in response to the priority of mental health among participants and awareness of the dangers of using social media, a session was devoted to psychological therapist Nisreen Al Jerr about anger management and positive self-talk to emphasize their importance in daily life.

The participants also learned about ways to deal with social media, avoid falling into the traps of communicating with unknown people within the virtual world, and how to confront intimidation, harassment, and blackmailing if confronted.

In the context of measuring the learning outcomes, the participants put everything they learned into practice through shooting 6 short films, where each of them took on a specific role. In this regard, they expressed their joy for connecting with new friends and discovering the behind the scenes process of filming and the stages of production.

Noting that the films will be screened within the Beirut International Women Film Festival along with a number of international festivals.

In addition, the Beirut Film Society is embarking on a new initiative targeting young age groups under the title “Beirut My Child” dedicated to training on animated films during the month of July.