Our music documentary in July was ‘Marcel Khalife: Voyageur’, which was available to watch for free, for all, from anywhere, from July 06 – 30.

Renowned Lebanese composer, Oud master and singer, Marcel Khalife is commonly regarded as one of the leading musical icons within the Arabic speaking world. 

In celebration of Marcel Khalife’s 70th birthday, we streamed ‘Voyageur’, an engrossing audio-visual documentary that covers the life and journeys of Marcel in a way never seen before. In this film, the camera travels with Marcel as he shares his compositions with audiences around the world, while debating the intricacies of political, religious and social influences in the region. Going beyond his creative legacy, the film also encompasses the bigger political and social changes surrounding the years 2002-2004, reflecting on the state of affairs both in Lebanon and the Arab world.

The film features appearances from renowned Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, whose poem “أنا يوسف يا أبي” (Oh my father, I am Joseph) was put to music by Marcel to the dismay of some religious clerics (leading to the controversial trial against Marcel in 2003). With commentary and analyses by Elias Khoury (a prominent Lebanese novelist and intellectual) and May Mnassa (the award-winning Lebanese novelist and critic), “Voyageur” is an unparalleled story behind Marcel’s life and legacy. 

Partners

This screening was brought to you in collaboration with: Al Balad Music Festival, Al Balad Theatre, Amman Jazz Festival, Arabesques, Beirut and Beyond International Music Festival, D-CAF Festival, Marcel Khalife, NYUAD Arts Center, The Arab British Centre, Yabous Cultural Centre and WAW al Balad.