Movie: A Letter from Beirut

  • HomePage

  • Overview

    Letter from Beirut documents the filmmaker's return to Beirut during one of the lulls, three years after the outbreak of the civil war, animated by the urge to return. She is confronted by the physical, emotional and psychological ravages of the war, terrified and sorrowful, she cannot find her place in the city. In that quest, she communicates with everyday people, friends, neighbors, people riding the bus across the city's eastern and western flanks. To pace her journeying and dramatic unraveling of the film, Saab borrows the guise of a letter read in a voice-over, written by world-renowned poet Etel Adnan. A rare document from the civil war, Letter from Beirut lays bare and spontaneously how people make sense of their everyday in the midst of chaos, violence, terror and sorrow.

  • Release Date

    1978-01-01

  • Average

    6.8

  • Rating:

    3.4 starts
  • Tagline

  • Genres

  • Languages:

    العربيةEnglishFrançais

Recommendations Movies

All That Breathes
69%

All That Breathes(en)

2022-10-21

Against the darkening backdrop of New Delhi's apocalyptic air and escalating violence, two brothers devote their lives to protecting one casualty of the turbulent times: the bird known as the black kite.

Van Gogh: Painted with Words
73%

Van Gogh: Painted with Words(en)

2010-04-05

A drama-documentary presented by Alan Yentob, with Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role. Every word spoken by the actors in this film is sourced from the letters that Van Gogh sent to his younger brother Theo, and of those around him. What emerges is a complex portrait of a sophisticated, civilised and yet tormented man.

Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee
67%

Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee(en)

2016-09-24

The strange story of John McAfee, who went from millionaire software mogul to yogi, Kurtz-like jungle recluse to potential murderer, and most recently a prospective presidential candidate for the American Libertarian Party.

Wormwood
69%

Wormwood(en)

2017-10-22

In this genre-bending tale, Errol Morris explores the mysterious death of a U.S. scientist entangled in a secret Cold War program known as MK-Ultra.

Heart of a Dog
65%

Heart of a Dog(en)

2015-10-21

Lyrical and powerfully personal essay film that reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother, her beloved dog, and such diverse subjects as family memories, surveillance, and Buddhist teachings.

A Dry White Season
66%

A Dry White Season(en)

1989-09-20

During the 1976 Soweto uprising, a white school teacher's life and values are threatened when he asks questions about the death of a young black boy who died in police custody.

The Search
68%

The Search(fr)

2014-11-26

A woman who works for a non-governmental organization (NGO) forms a special relationship with a young boy in war-torn Chechnya.

On Fire
61%

On Fire(en)

2023-09-29

Inspired by true and harrowing events, an ordinary man finds his world suddenly torn apart as devastating wildfires rip through the surrounding countryside. With precious moments ticking by, he must flee with his son and pregnant wife if they have any hope of surviving the rapid forces of mother nature.

For Sama
82%

For Sama(en)

2019-07-26

A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab’s life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while cataclysmic conflict rises around her. Her camera captures incredible stories of loss, laughter and survival as Waad wrestles with an impossible choice– whether or not to flee the city to protect her daughter’s life, when leaving means abandoning the struggle for freedom for which she has already sacrificed so much.

The Amazing Johnathan Documentary
61%

The Amazing Johnathan Documentary(en)

2019-08-16

What begins as a documentary following the final tour of a dying magician - "The Amazing Johnathan" - becomes an unexpected and increasingly bizarre journey as the filmmaker struggles to separate truth from illusion.

McQueen
75%

McQueen(en)

2018-06-08

Alexander McQueen's rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale, laced with the gothic. Mirroring the savage beauty, boldness and vivacity of his design, this documentary is an intimate revelation of McQueen's own world, both tortured and inspired, which celebrates a radical and mesmerizing genius of profound influence.

Chaos
63%

Chaos(fr)

2001-10-03

A bourgeois couple, modern yet conventional. One night by accident, a young prostitute barges into their lives. Hounded down, beaten up, threatened, she will continue to struggle, with the help of a well off lady, first for her survival-her resurrection-then for her dignity and freedom. Stormy encounters for everyone involved.

The Godfather Family: A Look Inside
78%

The Godfather Family: A Look Inside(en)

1990-07-12

A documentary on the making of the three Godfather films, with interviews and recollections from the film makers and cast. This feature also includes the original screen tests of some of the actors for "The Godfather" film, and some candid moments on the set of "The Godfather: Part III."

Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault
71%

Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault(en)

1996-11-23

A dramatization of the life of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault (Don Cheadle), with a lot of factual based occurrences. A reformed junkie returns from prison to clean up his act and devote the rest of his life to the young kids of Harlem. 1996 was the 25th anniversary of the first tournament named after him.

The Divide
66%

The Divide(fr)

2021-10-27

Raf and Julie, a couple on the verge of breaking up, find themselves in an emergency ward bordering on collapse on the evening of a Parisian Yellow Vest protest. Their encounter with Yann, an angry and injured demonstrator, will shatter each person's certainties and prejudices. Outside, the tension escalates.

Western Stars
70%

Western Stars(en)

2019-10-25

The incomparable Bruce Springsteen performs his critically acclaimed latest album and muses on life, rock, and the American dream, in this intimate and personal concert film co-directed by Thom Zimny and Springsteen himself.

TalhotBlond
63%

TalhotBlond(en)

2012-06-23

Thomas Montgomery, a married father of two young daughters, gets seduced by the world of online gambling and chat rooms where a virtual romance and sexual obsession ultimately leads to the murder of an innocent man.

24 Days
66%

24 Days(fr)

2014-04-30

When Ilan Halimi is kidnapped for ransom because Jewish and supposedly rich, his family and the police start a race against time to save him from the tortures of the "gang of barbarians".

American Pie: Revealed
60%

American Pie: Revealed(en)

2004-01-02

Documentary about the making of American Pie (1999), American Pie 2 (2001) and American Wedding (2003).

The Insult
75%

The Insult(fr)

2017-09-14

After an emotional exchange between a Lebanese Christian and a Palestinian refugee escalates, the men end up in a court case that gets national attention.

Similar Movies

'71
68%

'71(en)

2014-10-10

A young British soldier must find his way back to safety after his unit accidentally abandons him during a riot in the streets of Belfast.

Grand Illusion
79%

Grand Illusion(fr)

1937-06-04

A group of French soldiers, including the patrician Captain de Boeldieu and the working-class Lieutenant Maréchal, grapple with their own class differences after being captured and held in a World War I German prison camp. When the men are transferred to a high-security fortress, they must concoct a plan to escape beneath the watchful eye of aristocratic German officer von Rauffenstein, who has formed an unexpected bond with de Boeldieu.

Shanghai Express
70%

Shanghai Express(en)

1932-02-12

A beautiful temptress re-kindles an old romance while trying to escape her past during a tension-packed train journey.

The Leopard
77%

The Leopard(it)

1963-03-27

As Garibaldi's troops begin the unification of Italy in the 1860s, an aristocratic Sicilian family grudgingly adapts to the sweeping social changes undermining their way of life. Proud but pragmatic Prince Don Fabrizio Salina allows his war hero nephew, Tancredi, to marry Angelica, the beautiful daughter of gauche, bourgeois Don Calogero, in order to maintain the family's accustomed level of comfort and political clout.

Sommersby
63%

Sommersby(en)

1993-02-05

Set in the South just after the US Civil War, Laurel Sommersby is just managing to work the farm without her husband, believed killed in battle. By all accounts, Jack Sommersby was not a pleasant man, thus when he suddenly returns, Laurel has mixed emotions. It appears that Jack has changed a great deal, leading some people to believe that this is not actually Jack but an imposter. Laurel herself is unsure, but willing to take the man into her home, and perhaps later into her heart.

And the Ship Sails On
72%

And the Ship Sails On(it)

1983-10-07

In 1914, a cruise ship sets sail from Naples to spread the ashes of beloved opera singer Edmea Tetua near Erimo, the isle of her birth. During the voyage, the eclectic array of passengers discovers a group of Serbian refugees aboard the vessel. Peace and camaraderie abound until the ship is descended upon by an Austrian flagship. The Serbians are forced to board it, but naturally they resist, igniting a skirmish that ends in destruction.

Taking the Hill
0%

Taking the Hill(en)

2006-12-12

Over the years, Raul Ries, a military veteran (US Marine Corps) has reached out to those who are serving or have served in our armed forces. He has spoken to countless men and women from various theaters of military conflict, after their return home. In 2006, 40 years after fighting in the jungles of Vietnam, Ries experienced flashbacks for the first time. Subsequently, he found three of the men closest to him, who fought alongside of him in the Marine Corps unit ALPHA 1/7, and have suffered the consequences. Together again, they are taking the hill and finding healing.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
74%

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg(fr)

1964-02-19

This simple romantic tragedy begins in 1957. Guy Foucher, a 20-year-old French auto mechanic, has fallen in love with 17-year-old Geneviève Emery, an employee in her widowed mother's chic but financially embattled umbrella shop. On the evening before Guy is to leave for a two-year tour of combat in Algeria, he and Geneviève make love. She becomes pregnant and must choose between waiting for Guy's return or accepting an offer of marriage from a wealthy diamond merchant.

G.I. Jane
65%

G.I. Jane(en)

1997-08-19

In response to political pressure from Senator Lillian DeHaven, the U.S. Navy begins a program that would allow for the eventual integration of women into its combat services. The program begins with a single trial candidate, Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil, who is chosen specifically for her femininity. O'Neil enters the grueling Navy SEAL training program under the command of Master Chief John James Urgayle, who unfairly pushes O'Neil until her determination wins his respect.

The Innocence
100%

The Innocence(bn)

2019-12-20

A story of love, dreams, politics, revolution, and the aftermath of a civil war in Bangladesh.

Lions for Lambs
60%

Lions for Lambs(en)

2007-10-22

Three stories told simultaneously in ninety minutes of real time: a Republican Senator who's a presidential hopeful gives an hour-long interview to a skeptical television reporter, detailing a strategy for victory in Afghanistan; two special forces ambushed on an Afghani ridge await rescue as Taliban forces close in; a poli-sci professor at a California college invites a student to re-engage.

Cabiria
72%

Cabiria(it)

1914-06-01

Young Cabiria is kidnapped by pirates and sold as a slave in Carthage. Just as she's to be sacrificed to Moloch, Cabiria is rescued by Fulvius Axilla, a good-hearted Roman spy, and his powerful slave, Maciste. The trio are broken up as Cabiria is entrusted to a woman of noble birth. With Cabiria's fate unknown, Maciste punished for his heroism, and Fulvius sent away to fight for Rome, is there any hope of our heroes reuniting?

The Hunting Party
65%

The Hunting Party(en)

2007-09-03

A young journalist, an experienced cameraman and a discredited reporter find their bold plan to capture Bosnia's top war criminal quickly spiraling out of control when a UN representative mistakes them for a CIA hit squad.

Syriana
64%

Syriana(en)

2005-11-23

The Middle Eastern oil industry is the backdrop of this tense drama, which weaves together numerous story lines. Bennett Holiday is an American lawyer in charge of facilitating a dubious merger of oil companies, while Bryan Woodman, a Switzerland-based energy analyst, experiences both personal tragedy and opportunity during a visit with Arabian royalty. Meanwhile, veteran CIA agent Bob Barnes uncovers an assassination plot with unsettling origins.

Shershaah
73%

Shershaah(hi)

2021-08-12

Inspired by the life of Captain Vikram Batra (PVC), the film celebrates his bravery, valiant spirit and honors his invaluable sacrifice during the Kargil War of 1999, at the age of 24.

Hear the Silence
52%

Hear the Silence(de)

2016-06-11

1941, Ukraine. A group of German soldiers occupy a small town populated exclusively by women and children of German descent, way behind enemy lines. There's tension from the beginning, that always threatens to erupt in violence from both sides.

All Quiet on the Western Front
77%

All Quiet on the Western Front(en)

1930-04-29

When a group of idealistic young men join the German Army during the Great War, they are assigned to the Western Front, where their patriotism is destroyed by the harsh realities of combat.

No End
69%

No End(pl)

1985-06-17

1982, Poland. A translator loses her husband and becomes a victim of her own sorrow. She looks to sex, to her son, to law, and to hypnotism when she has nothing else in this time of martial law when Solidarity was banned.

The Wind
0%

The Wind(ar)

2015-09-13

The tragedy of the Syrian people: War, conflict, loss, migration, exile, asylum, detention, drowning… A deserted place. Abandoned people. Abandoned country. The doors slammed shot; the doors are now locked - the keys thrown away...for what seems forever.

U 9 Weddigen
50%

U 9 Weddigen(de)

1927-05-05

a silent war movie by Heinz Paul