Thursday, January 7, 2021

SuperJoe by Samah El Kadi, authenticity in the age of one-size-fits-all

SuperJoe by Samah El Kadi. Films keep coming (and coming, and coming) about the aftermath of the Beirut explosion on August 4th 2020, most of such low quality they are somewhere between one-size-fits-all and "seriously?". Which is why this film, for all its authenticity, seemingly low budget, very authentic lead (Joseph!), and basically what seems to be real (non-scripted) intervention by the protagonist, actually works wonders. This is how the film is presented:
"Joseph Sleiby escaped the Beirut blast miraculously and heroically at his grandparents house in Karantina. This film is for him and all the other kids who are still traumatized by the blast and on their way to psychological recovery. Berytech Foundation is raising funds for the benefit of the entrepreneurship ecosystem and those that have been severely hit by the August blast. For those who can, please visit the link in bio to donate. Beirut Keep Rising films are created by Balkoon TV, produced by The Talkies, in collaboration with Wondereight."