Tripoli/A Tale of Three CitiesThe documentary by Lebanese director Raed Rafei will celebrate its world premiere in the Frontlight section of the Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) from November 14 to 24. hollywood reporter The first official trailer for the film has been revealed, produced by Rafei through his company Anwar Film and Eliane Raheb.
“Queer director Raad al-Rafi returns to Tripoli, Lebanon, to confront the homeland that once rejected him,” the film’s synopsis explains. “He interviewed the city’s residents about their cultural and social beliefs and their receptivity to new ideas. This meditative urban symphony paints a picture of a city trapped in a self-woven network, It is crippled by a severe economic crisis, a faltering revolution and looming apocalypse.
director’s movies Miguel’s War Winner of the Teddy Award at the 2021 Berlin Film Festival.
“Tripoli is my hometown. It’s where I grew up and where my roots are,” Rafi continued. “As a queer kid, I’ve always felt alienated from the city’s heteronormative mainstream culture. But since I started living elsewhere, every time I come back, I feel an unexplainable pull .
The trailer (below) shows different people speaking out, with one asking, “Why does it matter if I’m a girl or a boy?” and another sharing what the Quran says about the punishment for the people of Sodom. Phrases such as “apocalypse,” “heels,” “black sheep,” “diversity,” “revolution,” and “collapse phase” also appear in the trailer.
“Through film, I found a way to reposition myself in the city,” Rafi explains. “The film importantly deconstructs the origins of homophobic discourse, but also explores the depth and complexity of belonging to one’s hometown. My identity as a Tripoli local and an outsider allowed me to explore multiple facets of the city, It is both a real space and an imaginary and fantasy entity.
