Wes BeyrouthtLast night we watched the highly-acclaimed Lebanese movie West Beyrouth on DVD. It was quite a treat. The first time I saw this film was when it came out in the late 1990’s. Watching it for the second time was a refreshing reminder, as I totally forgot how wonderful this movie is. It is the story of Beirut during the civil war as seen through the eyes of two teenagers living in the west side of the city. The boys, who are trying desperately to cross to the other side of Beirut to get some films developed, experience firsthand the cruelty of a war that shattered their country for years.

The movie was a delight. The camera work was exceptional as was the acting and the witty, humorous story line. The DVD, which we got as a gift from Amal, had subtitles in English, enabling my dear husband to follow the storyline and enjoy it as much as I did.

While on my way to work this morning I kept thinking to myself about the movie scene in my country: Will Jordan ever be able to produce such a well-made film eventually gaining world-wide acclaim? Will this happen in my lifetime? I know there are many initiatives currently on-going in Jordan to improve the movie scene but I wonder: Will I live to see the day of such a fine Jordanian production? We just have to stay hopeful, I guess.

Okay, before I go and embrace the day (likely to prove a very long one) I will leave you with some newswire highlights.