SKIES OF LEBANON. SOUS LE CIEL D'ALICE

The 2020, 892 minutes, Colour.
Alba Rohrwacher, Wahdi Mouawad, Isabelle Zighondi,
Directed by Chloe Mazlo.

Over the years there have been many films about the civil war in Lebanon, some from Lebanon itself, others from Israel and the Israeli perspective on the war, Hezbollah and its antagonism towards Israel, Israel and attacks.

This is a personalised perspective on Lebanon, decades of peace, antagonism, civil war and brutality, the collapse of the country. The English title emphasises the focus on Lebanon itself. On the other hand, the French title focuses on the central character, Alice and her experience in Lebanon and of the war.

The film opens with Alice sitting on a boat, leaving Beirut in 1977, writing a letter to her husband who has remained behind. Then she destroys the letter. Later during the film, we see her writing another letter, reflecting on her reasons for returning to Switzerland, and her disappointment.

The action of the film then moves into animation, clay animation, eccentric figures, life in Switzerland in the mountains, the young Alice and her training in infant care, the nuns supervising, her getting her diploma, scenes with her family at the meal table, an invitation to work in Lebanon, her farewell to the family and sailing for Lebanon. There is some animation later in the film, especially in maps for travels.

However, the style then moves into live-action, but often very stylised, like animation. Alice is dressed like Alice in Wonderland, with a pinafore. One of the key focuses on Alice and change is what she wears throughout the film. She is met at the wharf by what seems like a fairy godmother character (who will later become involved in the violence of the Civil War). Very quickly, sketches of Alice wheeling a pram, studio sets with photos and paintings in the background.

However, the action becomes more real as Alice encounters a friendly man, Joseph (played by Wajdi Mouawad, play on which the excellent Lebanese film, Incendies, was based) at a cafe who recites a poem and then quick action, Alice meeting his family, love, marriage, their life together, a touch of animation as storks with bundles fly over with Alice reaching for one, and eventually capturing one, baby daughter, Mona.

All is well with Alice, bonding well with Joseph's brother and his family, and his sister. And Joseph, who has revealed that he is interested in rocket science and works in a laboratory, continues with his work, some achievement, Alice going to the launch of some rockets.

It all seems rather idyllic.

1975, rumblings of war, bombardments, assassinations, fighting in the streets (symbolised here by one street and a pile of sand bags, a group of enemies on each side, clashing). The hostilities gradually impose on Alice and Joseph, their daughter wanting to go to Paris to follow her boyfriend who has left, bombings on the rocket laboratory, troops invading the house in search for weapons, peacekeeping forces intruding. While not much war action is actually shown on screen, the tensions, the atmosphere, the dangers are ever present.

And back to Alice on the boat, Joseph staying to keep working on the rockets, regrets - but the audience leaving the film with great feeling and some hope.

1. The emphasis of the English title, on Lebanon itself and the Civil War? The original French title and the focus on Alice and her story?

2. The openings in Switzerland, the mountains? Homes? The transition to Lebanon, airport, city, streets, homes, rocket development, the Muslim community? The transition to the war? The musical score?

3. The opening, Alice on the boat, writing the letter, speaking to Joseph, destroying the letter, the later recurring of this sequence, the new letter?

4. Alice and her family, the use of animation, the characters and their appearance, clothes, Alice and school, care for babies, the nuns, the diploma? Her family, the meals? The offer of a job, Lebanon? The family farewelling her?

5. The live-action, Alice on the train, yet the stylised presentation, studio sets, artificial backgrounds, the same with Alice walking through the city? Her dress, little girl, Alice in Wonderland, pinafore? The help from the fairy godmother character, driving her to the house? The live-action animation style for her story, into the house, wheeling the baby, at the cafe?

6. Joseph at the cafe, watching Alice, gradually speaking? His reciting the poem? And the rapid development of the relationship, the marriage? The passing of the years, Swift live-action, touches of animation, especially reaching for the storks and finding the baby? The relationship with the extended family, Alice welcomed, Georges and his wife, the children, Joseph’s sister, Mona as a little girl, growing up? Meeting with Selim at the gallery, Mona and her relationship?

7. 20 years in Alice's life, from young girl to mother, to midlife? The change of appearance, clothes? Joseph, his getting older? The bond between the two?

8. Joseph, his work with rockets, the laboratories, co-workers, launches? The Civil War, the bombardments, the threat to his work, the bigger rockets?

9. Factions in Lebanon, comfortable life, the outbreak of hostilities, the symbolic presentation of the barrier and sandbanks and road, the hostilities on each side, soldiers, and masks, George's son joining them? His rifle? The television reporting hostilities? The hearing of the bombs and bombardment? The many ceasefires and their being broken? Political manoeuvres, government collaborations, musical chairs and exclusions?

10. The effect of the family, everybody coming to live with Joseph and Alice? Their welcoming? George and his being trapped, the phone call? Selim, going to Paris? His mother and family and the decision to go to Paris? Mona and her being upset? The plan to go, the discussions, Alice reluctant, her father letting her go? The life and work in France? The many migrants?

11. The soldiers, searching the house for weapons, creating mess? The peacekeeping forces, masked, into the house, the meal, Alice's harsh reaction?

12. Tension between Alice and Joseph, his work, the bombardment, making the choice to stay with his work? Urging Alice to go back to Switzerland? The poem and his note?
Alice, the ticket, getting the Visa for Joseph?

13. On the boat, the letter, her reflections and Joseph appearing?