Ely Dagher | On Waves '98 & The Sea Ahead
In this episode of Kawalis, recorded in afikra's studio in Beirut, Ely Dagher unravels his relationship with the city of Beirut through film. We talk about his two films Waves '98 – which won Cannes's Palme D'Or for Short Film – and The Sea Ahead, released in 2021. Ely explains how he tries to portray the way Beirut feels rather than how it looks, grappling with the false dichotomy of leaving and staying, and how he's inclined to make films that are about love, community, and finding ways to make sense of life even when it feels like you have no control. While shedding light on his creative process, he touches on his frustrations with the Lebanese film industry (or lack thereof) and the toxic influence of European cinema funding — recounting the time he was told by a European panel that his film wasn't "Lebanese" enough.
Ely Dagher is a Lebanese director, screenwriter and artist known for his Palme D'Or awarded short film Waves '98 and his first feature film The Sea Ahead which had its premiere at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.
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Kawalis
This series dives into the performing arts, from the Arab world’s best stages to the small and big screens. We zoom in on the work of some of the most noteworthy Arab actors, directors, scriptwriters, cinematographers, stage designers, producers, and crew behind some of the best productions from the region.
