Lost in Lebanon

Screenings

2017 Season
Amsterdam, Beirut, London, New York

As the Syrian war continues to leave entire generations without education, health care or a state, Lost in Lebanon closely follows four Syrians as they struggle to rebuild their lives in Lebanon. The resilience of this Syrian community currently making up a fifth of the population in Lebanon is astoundingly clear as they work hard to collaborate, share resources and attempt to advocate for themselves in a new land.  With the Syrian conflict continuing to push across borders, lives are becoming increasingly desperate due to the devastating consequences of new visa laws implemented by the Lebanese government, leaving families at risk of arrest, detention, and deportation. Despite these obstacles, the film encourages us to look beyond the staggering statistics of displaced refugees and focus on the individuals themselves.

 

Filmmaker(s): 
Sophia and Georgia Scott
Year: 
2016
80m
Language(s): 
Arabic, English
Genre: 
Documentary
Filmmaker Bio(s): 
Georgia Scott
filmmaker

Georgia is an experienced producer, director and editor. Her first documentary film, set in Kenya explored the threats facing a unique Swahili community on Lamu Island on the border with Somalia. Georgia graduated with a BA (hons) degree in Production Design from the University of the Arts, London in 2011. She went on to manage a product design company before setting up GroundTruth Productions with Sophia. Georgia then made her first feature documentary In the Shadow of War in Bosnia in 2014 which was nominated for the Grand Jury Award at Sheffield Doc Fest and the First Appearance and Oxfam Global Justice Awards at IDFA. She recently completed her second feature film, Lost in Lebanon, filmed on the Syrian border during 2014-2016.

Sophia Scott
filmmaker

Sophia is an experienced producer, director and cinematographer, and has worked for organizations including the BBC and Channel 4. She has also worked extensively as a self shooting camerawoman across Africa and Asia on projects for the UN, PBS, CBC, The New York Times and Human Rights Watch among others. After completing a foundation year at the European Film College in Denmark in 2002 she went on to study Documentary Film and Television graduating with a BA (Hons ) from the International Film School of Wales before moving to Kenya where she spent the first 6 years of her film career. Sophia then made her first feature documentary In the Shadow of War in Bosnia in 2014 which was nominated for the Grand Jury Award at Sheffield Doc Fest and the First Appearance and Oxfam Global Justice Awards at IDFA. She recently completed her second feature film, Lost in Lebanon, filmed on the Syrian border during 2014-2016. 

Film Website: 
Lost in Lebanon film website

“Lost in Lebanon captures many of the different ways that Lebanese residency policy affects refugees: an estimated 70 percent of refugees in Lebanon now lack legal status which, amongst other issues, limits their ability to work, access education and health care, and move freely. Although Human Rights Watch and other organisations have engaged in sustained advocacy, the government has refused to make any meaningful changes to the residency process, guaranteeing that the situation will continue to get worse.” - Bassam Khawaja, Lebanon researcher, Middle East and North Africa Division, Human Rights Watch

To learn more on this topic visit HRW.org