{"id":16576,"date":"2025-04-21T14:21:39","date_gmt":"2025-04-21T11:21:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/?p=16576"},"modified":"2025-04-26T18:25:50","modified_gmt":"2025-04-26T15:25:50","slug":"fann-w-fenjen-with-omar-gabriel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/fann-w-fenjen-with-omar-gabriel\/","title":{"rendered":"Fann W Fenjen: Omar Gabriel"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"16576\" class=\"elementor elementor-16576\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f0b107e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f0b107e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4c22630\" data-id=\"4c22630\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5606af6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5606af6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Filmmaker<\/span><\/p><h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Omar Gabriel and Cyril Kokozaki on Navigating Community, Memory, and Healing After War<\/strong><\/h1><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By Cyril Kokozaki<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Photos by Omar Gabriel<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-28c7117 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"28c7117\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7dcf584\" data-id=\"7dcf584\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d4b3b75 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d4b3b75\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"446\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?fit=800%2C446&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-16603\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?w=2870&amp;ssl=1 2870w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?resize=300%2C167&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?resize=1024%2C571&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?resize=768%2C428&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?resize=1536%2C856&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?resize=2048%2C1142&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?w=2400&amp;ssl=1 2400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7c6efb3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7c6efb3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f522915\" data-id=\"f522915\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a8f82d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3a8f82d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those familiar with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/omargabriel____\/\">Omar Gabriel<\/a>&#8216;s work understand his distinctively intimate, \u201cslice of life\u201d filter: his camera-work reflects the moments where we feel profoundly human and connected. From the award-winning <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/omargabriel____\/p\/CZH1vT9txzJ\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Letter to Myself<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which offers a personal exploration of queer icons in Lebanon, including the Palestinian resistance poster-woman <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/omargabriel____\/p\/CkOUYw9pW0M\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Soha Bechara\u2019s<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> letter to herself and her trans son, to his recent ARTE-commissioned documentary\u2013 yes, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> premiere cultural TV channel in Europe\u2013 his work is remarkable, tender, and current. After eight long, gruelling, collapse-tainted years in production, Omar is aiming to release his first feature film in 2025, so don\u2019t miss the preview from this rising talent on ARTE\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.arte.tv\/fr\/videos\/122199-006-A\/tracks-east\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tracks East: Lebanon After the War &#8211; Is Healing Possible?<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The documentary interviews three of Omar\u2019s artist friends against a backdrop of the destruction and fragile ceasefire that continues to shape their inherited reality, and where the cultural resistance that the Lebanese are known for lives on.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We asked actor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bird_in_beirut\/\">Cyril Kokozaki<\/a> to flex his skills and pose Omar some questions.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3c5cc8e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3c5cc8e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-23f48e7\" data-id=\"23f48e7\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8f0dc31 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8f0dc31\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>OMAR GABRIEL:<\/strong> Hello\u2026yahhh Cyril, hello!<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CYRIL KOKOZAKI:<\/strong> Bonsoir! <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u0645\u0631\u062d\u0628\u0627 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">!<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>OMAR:<\/strong> They told me it was a surprise, I didn\u2019t think it would be you!<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CYRIL:<\/strong> Yeah, surprise! Hahaha\u2026 Okay, first of all I really want to give you compliments on your work. I really enjoyed watching it. I watched the ARTE preview, I think three or four times. You really showcase the alternative scene in Beirut, like you\u2019re giving the rest of us an opportunity for our voices to get out there, for more expression, and you&#8217;re doing it in a very nice way. So yeah, I just wanted to share that. Would you consider \u0647\u064a\u062f\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0634\u064a like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/raymondachamoun\/\">Raymonda<\/a> says about going back to her busy life, \u0625\u0646\u0648 this is how she heals. So did this help you with your healing?\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>OMAR:<\/strong> I suppose you can\u2019t have people speak so honestly and not go through it with them, especially when you share the same experience. So <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u0623\u0643\u064a\u062f<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> there is some kind of healing. But can I say that I\u2019m healed? Uhh, I\u2019m not sure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aside from the project, I think healing is an ongoing life quest. What we\u2019ve lived through\u2014and are still living through\u2014 is an immense form of violence. For people who are sensitive or humanitarian in nature, it\u2019s not something that passes easily. And even when it\u2019s over, we know it\u2019s not completely over.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since I\u2019m introspective and honest with myself, I can\u2019t say I was healed when the project ended. Like Ray says, it\u2019s just <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">part of<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> my healing journey. But that doesn&#8217;t mean that the journey is over. I think it&#8217;s an ongoing quest, a turbulent one, and it includes many forms of wars\u2014not just the obvious reasons. I\u2019m also against just talking about the actuality and the \u201cnow\u201d, because everything is a pile up of so many things that are corrupt and unfair and inhumane. And yet we have to continue. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1ced44b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1ced44b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7650a3e\" data-id=\"7650a3e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a9e447d elementor-widget__width-inherit elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"a9e447d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" 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data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTY1ODksInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hbC1yYXdpeWEuY29tXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI1XC8wNFwvU2NyZWVuLVNob3QtMjAyNS0wMy0wNS1hdC0xMi4yOS4wOS1QTS5wbmciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJhOWU0NDdkIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.29.09-PM.png?fit=768%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" data-width=\"768\" data-height=\"427\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.29.18-PM.png?fit=2880%2C1800&#038;ssl=1\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"a9e447d\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Screen Shot 2025-03-05 at 12.29.18 PM\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTY1OTEsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hbC1yYXdpeWEuY29tXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI1XC8wNFwvU2NyZWVuLVNob3QtMjAyNS0wMy0wNS1hdC0xMi4yOS4xOC1QTS5wbmciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJhOWU0NDdkIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.29.18-PM.png?fit=768%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" data-width=\"768\" data-height=\"480\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f8c40eb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f8c40eb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Ruwan Teodros, captured by Omar Gabriel<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e26e7b4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e26e7b4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-837721e\" data-id=\"837721e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-07ade95 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"07ade95\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CYRIL:<\/strong> I know, challenges compiling over the span of just a few years. You do a lot of work in queer cinema, I work in queer cinema as well,\u00a0 I know the challenges that we\u2019re already facing, and then the external factors come in. Take <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sit_yanna\/\">Joey<\/a>\u2019s story for example, you really see how the ripple of something that&#8217;s happening kilometers away can affect someone on such an intimate level. He had to hide a part of his identity for 36 days, he calls the invasion pinkwashing, and how he went along with it. What was the greatest challenge you faced while filming this?<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>OMAR:<\/strong> I think the most challenging part was speaking about a topic this complex\u2014one that\u2019s being showcased to Western audiences\u2014while still being honest for us. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u0644\u0623\u0646\u0648<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> this is not a self-funded project that I felt like doing. This is a documentary for ARTE, so I felt a responsibility knowing that this narrative is being translated for the West.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What has happened politically and how the West has shaped our narratives\u2014 and the hypocrisy that it has played in the war, and in how the media covered it\u2014 I felt that it was finally my turn to show a narrative that represents us. Even if it\u2019s mostly reaching their audience, at the very least, I want them to see a narrative that they don&#8217;t know about.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That was the biggest challenge. On one hand, I have a big responsibility to speak about something that&#8217;s so fresh and so complex, something that we haven&#8217;t digested yet, and try to tell it in a way that\u2019s as multi-layered and authentic as I can be in the representation. This documentary is both a window to Lebanon, and to me as an activist and an authentic filmmaker. I want them to see something that is real, something that reflects us more than the propaganda or shallow, informational coverage that they are receiving.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CYRIL:<\/strong> You showed up to the challenge really well, especially in how you captured the streets, the daily life of the Lebanese. One example that stood out was the scene with the three generations of women; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ruwanteodros\/\">Ruwan<\/a>, her mother, and grandmother. I\u2019m referring to that intimate scene where each of them speaks about the war of their generation. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is our reality, this is what we inherit as Lebanese people. And although it&#8217;s sad, the way you portrayed it was so beautiful and multi-layered. A question for the filmmakers: what lenses were you using?<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>OMAR: <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honestly <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you have to ask the DOP hahaha\u2014the lenses are an additional technical thing. For me, what is most important is in the frame itself, because this is what conveys the emotions and the stories. As for the lenses, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they of course have an important<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> additional value because they film things in a way that resembles the vision that I want. I focused on using lenses that zoom in on the people\u2014 that are close to people. I didn\u2019t use many wide angles unless I was filming the destruction of outdoor spaces. I focused as much as I could on faces, on emotions, on intimate spaces, and all of that happened through the use of portrait lenses mostly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b76c73d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b76c73d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3f57650\" data-id=\"3f57650\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11a6c1a elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"11a6c1a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;columns&quot;:2,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;16:9&quot;,&quot;lazyload&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;gallery_layout&quot;:&quot;grid&quot;,&quot;columns_tablet&quot;:2,&quot;columns_mobile&quot;:1,&quot;gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;link_to&quot;:&quot;file&quot;,&quot;overlay_background&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;content_hover_animation&quot;:&quot;fade-in&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"gallery.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?fit=2870%2C1600&#038;ssl=1\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"11a6c1a\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Screen Shot 2025-03-05 at 12.34.16 PM\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTY2MDMsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hbC1yYXdpeWEuY29tXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI1XC8wNFwvU2NyZWVuLVNob3QtMjAyNS0wMy0wNS1hdC0xMi4zNC4xNi1QTS5wbmciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiIxMWE2YzFhIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.16-PM.png?fit=768%2C428&amp;ssl=1\" data-width=\"768\" data-height=\"428\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.05-PM.png?fit=2880%2C1592&#038;ssl=1\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"11a6c1a\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Screen Shot 2025-03-05 at 12.34.05 PM\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTY2MDEsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hbC1yYXdpeWEuY29tXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI1XC8wNFwvU2NyZWVuLVNob3QtMjAyNS0wMy0wNS1hdC0xMi4zNC4wNS1QTS5wbmciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiIxMWE2YzFhIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.34.05-PM.png?fit=768%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" data-width=\"768\" data-height=\"425\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f42979b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f42979b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Ruwan Teodros, captured by Omar Gabriel<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-220cfe7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"220cfe7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-486020e\" data-id=\"486020e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4196ef elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a4196ef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CYRIL:<\/strong> I definitely noticed you used a lot of extreme close-ups, like in the scene where Joey is applying makeup while he&#8217;s going into his drag character. It felt like we got so close to each character. Beyond the lens, what really stood out was your presence and the questions you asked that allowed each person to open up, to share, and to be this comfortable. There&#8217;s a very natural feel to everything, it&#8217;s very natural how you show the reality of things. I think it&#8217;s a huge challenge: to show reality so honestly, especially when there\u2019s a person in the frame and it\u2019s your role, as the filmmaker, to lead them there with your questions.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>OMAR:<\/strong> For me, this is not a challenge. Thank you, I appreciate it that you see it that way, but for me, the real challenge is when I&#8217;m disconnected from reality or from authenticity. So when I have the opportunity to be close to people\u2013 to be close to the truth and their emotions, on the contrary I feel like it\u2019s an opportunity, a lucky opportunity someone gives to me.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a camera you have a huge privilege: to get close, to access the school of people, and their personal, intimate stories. Stories that, in our daily life, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00e7a passe inaper\u00e7u<\/span><\/i> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u064a\u0639\u0646\u064a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it goes by unnoticed, and the world continues. For Joey, he might go to his job and nobody would ask him a question about everything that he has lived.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So for me, the camera becomes a small window, a moment to say: no, no, no, no, no, no. Things should not continue like that without opening these little windows. Because our personal stories matter. And by nature, as Omar the human, not just the filmmaker, I think this is part of my vision. I\u2019ve lived through so much that made me feel like, no, life cannot continue like that normally. I just need to stop and open this window and see what&#8217;s inside. I need it. It\u2019s a need.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6bd7556 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6bd7556\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4171e05\" data-id=\"4171e05\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9bb50ab elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"9bb50ab\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;columns&quot;:2,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;16:9&quot;,&quot;lazyload&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;gallery_layout&quot;:&quot;grid&quot;,&quot;columns_tablet&quot;:2,&quot;columns_mobile&quot;:1,&quot;gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;link_to&quot;:&quot;file&quot;,&quot;overlay_background&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;content_hover_animation&quot;:&quot;fade-in&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"gallery.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.26-PM.png?fit=2880%2C1596&#038;ssl=1\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"9bb50ab\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Screen Shot 2025-03-05 at 12.33.26 PM\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTY1OTUsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hbC1yYXdpeWEuY29tXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI1XC8wNFwvU2NyZWVuLVNob3QtMjAyNS0wMy0wNS1hdC0xMi4zMy4yNi1QTS5wbmciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiI5YmI1MGFiIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.26-PM.png?fit=768%2C426&amp;ssl=1\" data-width=\"768\" data-height=\"426\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.35-PM.png?fit=2846%2C1604&#038;ssl=1\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"9bb50ab\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Screen Shot 2025-03-05 at 12.33.35 PM\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTY1OTcsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hbC1yYXdpeWEuY29tXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI1XC8wNFwvU2NyZWVuLVNob3QtMjAyNS0wMy0wNS1hdC0xMi4zMy4zNS1QTS5wbmciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiI5YmI1MGFiIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.35-PM.png?fit=768%2C433&amp;ssl=1\" data-width=\"768\" data-height=\"433\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eade630 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"eade630\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Joey, captured by Omar Gabriel<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-051b8d4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"051b8d4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-37fae84\" data-id=\"37fae84\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11296d7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"11296d7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CYRIL:<\/strong> I\u2019ve read a few articles about you, and it feels like this message runs through all your projects. As if you like to return the heartbeat to people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>OMAR:<\/strong> Hmm, what do you mean by heartbeat?<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CYRIL:<\/strong> As if to bring them back to life. You&#8217;re not satisfied with just saying <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hamdellah <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(thanks be to God), right?\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>OMAR:<\/strong> <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hamdellah<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by itself doesn\u2019t bother me, because it carries a kind of gratitude for the good things that are still present.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But when <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hamdellah<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> becomes a tool for denial\u2014 used to soothe all the pain and problems, just because we don\u2019t want to speak or open the wounds and share them\u2014then we end up with a society that is sick on the inside, but on the outside keeps saying <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hamdellah<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The problems get worse. The wounds aren\u2019t healing. People just continue, and continue, and continue, and I feel like my existence as an artist is to say: Ahh, stop. I\u2019m not satisfied. Maybe somewhere that\u2019s wrong, because maybe it would be better for me to say <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hamdellah<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and continue like everybody else. But that\u2019s not me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-12028c9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"12028c9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9dc3b5c\" data-id=\"9dc3b5c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff1458a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ff1458a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"524\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.46-PM-e1745234661303.png?fit=768%2C524&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-16599\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.46-PM-e1745234661303.png?w=2338&amp;ssl=1 2338w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.46-PM-e1745234661303.png?resize=300%2C205&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.46-PM-e1745234661303.png?resize=1024%2C698&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.46-PM-e1745234661303.png?resize=768%2C524&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.46-PM-e1745234661303.png?resize=1536%2C1047&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.46-PM-e1745234661303.png?resize=2048%2C1396&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.33.46-PM-e1745234661303.png?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1260115 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1260115\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Joey, captured by Omar Gabriel<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f2a26ba elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f2a26ba\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d2b4031\" data-id=\"d2b4031\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b1a0eef elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b1a0eef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CYRIL:<\/strong> As someone who has documented queer narratives, don&#8217;t you feel like the spaces where queer cinema could be projected are very limited in Beirut, or they need to be sort of protected, because of the political situation?<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>OMAR:<\/strong> There are no safe spaces in Beirut. There are safe people, and the space becomes safe when people gather to watch\u2014 unless there\u2019s a violent intrusion. As long as we have no queer rights, as long as queer films are not legal, as long as spaces that are considered safe have no protection, it\u2019s never safe. It becomes safe when these people gather together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-19b3f48 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"19b3f48\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-959e281\" data-id=\"959e281\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a7deea elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7a7deea\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9875-copy-2.jpg?fit=800%2C534&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-16635\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9875-copy-2.jpg?w=5184&amp;ssl=1 5184w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9875-copy-2.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9875-copy-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9875-copy-2.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9875-copy-2.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9875-copy-2.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9875-copy-2.jpg?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_9875-copy-2.jpg?w=2400&amp;ssl=1 2400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-60b3acd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"60b3acd\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f9f3771\" data-id=\"f9f3771\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-906bbad elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"906bbad\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Omar Gabriel<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8be4ae5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8be4ae5\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-54c268d\" data-id=\"54c268d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-76bc036 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"76bc036\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f22f5f6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f22f5f6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f66770e\" data-id=\"f66770e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-edfcebe elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"edfcebe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/omargabriel____\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Omar Gabriel<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has filmed, produced, directed, edited and photographed short films, commercials, motion pictures, music videos and photographed countless celebrities for over 12 years. His films have showcased at Xposed Film Festival in Berlin, and Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, while his photography has been shown at the Bienal&#8217;23 Fotografia do Porto and La Casa\u0300 A\u0300rabe in Madrid.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bird_in_beirut\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cyril Kokozaki<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an actor and artist known for his roles in the thought-provoking films Drowning (2024), Embodied Chaos (2023), Corps Absents (2022), Dhow Under the Sun (2015) and others, earning a reputation for deep emotional <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Filmmaker Omar Gabriel and Cyril Kokozaki on Navigating Community, Memory, and Healing After War By Cyril Kokozaki Photos by Omar Gabriel Those familiar with Omar Gabriel&#8216;s work understand his distinctively intimate, \u201cslice of life\u201d filter: his camera-work reflects the moments where we feel profoundly human and connected. From the award-winning A Letter to Myself, which [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16579,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160,322],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-column","category-fann-w-fenjein"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/al-rawiya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screen-Shot-2025-03-05-at-12.28.05-PM.png?fit=2880%2C1604&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16576"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16671,"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16576\/revisions\/16671"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}