12 Angry Lebanese
12 Angry LebaneseLebanon2009 For nearly a year and a half, 45 prison inmates in Lebanon’s largest prison found themselves working together to present their version of Reginald Rose’s play 12 Angry Men, which they rename 12 Angry Lebanese. A theatre director who specializes in working with disadvantaged and traumatized people, Zeina Daccache is a powerhouse. Revealing the tremendous dignity and despair of the prisoners, her inspired theatre project changes their lives—offering a transformative experience for the audience that encourages the staff of the prison to reconsider the potential of their inmates. The drama therapy sessions, the interviews with the inmates, and the interaction with both Daccache and the audience convey an extraordinary message of trust, forgiveness, and change, as Daccache exposes the complex layers of each actor’s personality as well as the remarkable evolution they experience as a group. Original Language: Arabic Subtitles: English Synopsis For nearly a year and a half, 45 prison inmates in Lebanon’s largest prison found themselves working together to present their version of Reginald Rose’s play 12 Angry Men, which they rename 12 Angry Lebanese. A theatre director who specializes in working with disadvantaged and traumatized people, Zeina Daccache is a powerhouse. Revealing the tremendous dignity and despair of the prisoners, her inspired theatre project changes their lives—offering a transformative experience for the audience that encourages the staff of the prison to reconsider the potential of their inmates. The drama therapy sessions, the interviews with the inmates, and the interaction with both Daccache and the audience convey an extraordinary message of trust, forgiveness, and change, as Daccache exposes the complex layers of each actor’s personality as well as the remarkable evolution they experience as a group. Filmmaker's Biography Dima El-Horr was born in Lebanon and earned an M.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She currently teaches cinema at the Lebanese American University in Lebanon. She has worked as a projectionist, editor and director in both theatre and television. Her short films include the documentaries Echo of a Prayer (1992) and Beaux Arts à Beirut (1995) and the short fiction films Lost Identity (1994), The Street (1997) and Prêt-à-porter, Imm Ali (2003). Her first feature Every Day Is a Holiday (2009) premiered at the Venice International Film Festival. Reviews Variety Reviews: Twelve Angry Lebanese, by Dennis Harvey (Variety 01/19/2011) |