Documentary by Jordanian producer Jumana Saadeh wins Golden Goblet 

AMMAN — Hailed as a sensitive and engaging portrayal of relatable stories and sentiments, “Anxious in Beirut”, a Jordanian, Lebanese, Qatari and Spanish film, won the Golden Goblet Award at the Shanghai International Film Festival. 

Produced by Jordanian producer Jumana Saadeh and directed by Lebanese director Zakaria Jaber, the film takes on a youthful Arab perspective, delving into the life of the film’s director himself, who four years ago started filming the 2019 Lebanese uprising, mapping out the last three years of incidents and hardships in his country.

Standing out among a diverse selection of films, “Anxious in Beirut” was awarded for its “impactful visual storytelling and thought-provoking content”. 

Speaking with The Jordan Times, Saadeh explained that “the intended message and impact of this documentary movie were multi-faceted”. Saadeh’s key objectives were to show Lebanese youth they are not alone, offering support through visual content. 

The documentary also aimed to place the spotlight on the struggles between the baby boomer, millennial and Gen Z generations, Saadeh said, adding that the film has a lot to say on economic themes as well. “We aimed to present our complex economic situation in a simplified manner… leaving a lasting impact...” she said.

Saadeh joined forces with Jaber, who wrote the initial script, and together the pair applied for an Al Jazeera documentary fund which provided a co-production grant, according to a statement sent to The Jordan Times. 

After Al Jazeera English joined and commissioned the film for their Witness strand, a Spanish production house called 15L then joined as minor producers. The film was also pitched at the MEDIMED Market, where it gained significant recognition. Lastly, Filmotor, a distribution and sales company from Prague, came on board to manage the worldwide distribution of the film and provide festival services. 

As for the reach and distribution of the film, Saadeh said that it is being featured in many festivals and it will be broadcasted on Al Jazeera’s online platform. Additionally, there are ongoing negotiations to sell the film to other broadcasters and VODs in a variety of languages.

Saadeh, who is an award-winning Jordanian producer with a master’s degree in film production, noted that through the documentary, she and Jaber wanted to reflect renewed conversations following the Lebanese uprising.

In this vein, Saadeh said: “By weaving together factual information and a sociopolitical narrative, we aimed to offer viewers a comprehensive understanding of how things operate in the country.”

As for Jaber, he told The Jordan Times that before “Anxious in Beirut” (his first documentary), he used to believe that documentaries prioritised “subject matter at the expense of artistic aspects”. However, his perspective evolved and he developed a particular appreciation for the genre. 

The documentary’s next stop is its Northern American premiere at the “Maine International Film Festival”, after which it will be premiered at the highly-acclaimed Arab Film Festival. 

The documentary was first screened in Lebanon, and is scheduled to be screened in Jordan for its second national premiere during the Amman International Film Festival in August.

Describing the documentary in three words, Saadeh characterised her film as: “Youthful”, “delicate” and “heavy”.