A massacre inside a bus, some thirty years ago, sparked off the civil war in Lebanon that lasted 17 years. The director, writer, and producer, Phillip Aractingi, in the first post-war musical feature “Bosta (The Bus), addresses how Lebanon rose from the ashes after 30 years of civil war, and how its people began to learn about each other from anew.
“‘Bosta’ is a journey into the memory of Lebanon, Aractingi said in an interview with The Daily Star, Lebanon, while the film was in production in 2004.
Since its release in Lebanon in December 2005, “Bosta has met with phenomenal success. The musical has attracted record level crowds, climbing to the number one movie at the 2006 box office, with over 140,000 entries and 22 weeks of screening. This is the fourth highest score for a movie in Lebanon, and the first time ever for a Lebanese movie.
Tonight Cairo audiences will be treated to a rare screening of the Lebanese musical sensation.
“Bosta tells the story of seven former school friends who meet again after 15 years, to drive across Lebanese regions in a rundown school bus, which they repaint and renew as a wound they are healing.
The group makes a stop at each of their native villages, to do what they ve always done best: dance. But they are also trying to introduce a new blend of music, a mix of a traditional dance – the dabkeh – coupled with a techno beat; a mix that embodies this generation that grew up too fast. This group of friends tries to bring a modern twist to the past in a world that has lost all bearings.
The bus takes its passengers across Lebanon, on an emotionally bumpy journey of self-discovery and re-acquaintance with the multiple identities of their country.
“It’s a way of showing Lebanon and reconciling the characters with their past through something they think is the future, Aractingi pointed out during his interview. “It’s about how much we take from the past and how much we keep from the present – the struggle between the past and the present which is a universal theme in any country.
The bus takes audiences on a tumultuous journey, addressing difficult themes such as tolerance between religions, the role of women in Lebanese society, the father-son relationship, and homosexuality – all in a subtle and light tone that results in a musical trip to a techno-Lebanese beat.
“Bosta (The Bus)Directed by Phillip AractingiStarring Rodney El Haddad, Nadine Labaki, Nada Abou Farhat, and Omar Rajeh
Screenings:
Galaxy in Manial, Cairo(with French subtitles)May 2
CityStars in Helipolis, Cairo(with English subtitles)May 2
Green Plaza, AlexandriaMay 16
