Maroun Bagdadi

Maroun Bagdadi (also Baghdadi; Arabic: مارون بغدادي, mārūn baġdādi; January 21, 1950 – December 10, 1993) was a Lebanese film director known for his vivid portrayal of Lebanon's civil war. Bagdadi was internationally the best-known Lebanese filmmaker of his generation. He worked with American producer/director Francis Coppola and made several films in French that became hits in France.^[1]

Maroun Bagdadi
Maroun Bagdadi
Born	(1950-01-21)January 21, 1950 Lebanon
Died	December 10, 1993(1993-12-10) (aged 43) Lebanon
Occupation	Film director
Spouse	Soraya Khoury
Children	3

Career

Maroun Bagdadi was arguably Lebanon's most prominent filmmaker, one whose work has been seen all over the world. One of his best-known films, Houroub Saghira (Little Wars), was shown at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival, drawing this comment from a prominent film critic: "To make a film about Beirut that eschews polemics for more universal, more human issues is an achievement." His first Lebanese production was for television, an educational program called 7½. In 1975, he directed his first feature film, Beyrouth Ya Beyrouth. Koullouna Lil Watan, a 75-minute documentary produced in 1979, won the Jury Honor Prize at the International Leipzig Festival Documentary and Animated Film.^[2]

Bagdadi died on December 10, 1993, aged 43, allegedly after an accidental fall down an elevator shaft at his home in Beirut.^[3] He is survived by his wife and favorite actress, Soraya, a daughter of former defense minister Victor Khoury^[4] whose acting career continues as of 2017,^[5] and their three children.

Filmography

• La Fille de l'air (1992)
• Out of Life (1991)
• Lebanon, the Land of Honey and Incense (1988)
• The Veiled Man (1987)
• Little Wars (1982)
• Whispers (1980)
• The Procession (1980)
• We Are All for the Fatherland (1979)
• The Story of a Village and a War (1979)
• The Martyr (1979)
• Ninety (1978)
• The Most Beautiful of All Mothers (1978)
• Greetings to Kamal Jumblat (1977)
• The South Is Fine, How About You (1976)
• The Majority Is Standing Strong (1976)
• Kafarkala (1976)
• Beirut Oh Beirut (1975)

Awards

• Jury Prize at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival for Out of Life (Hors La Vie)^[6]
• Jury Honor Prize at the International Leipzig Festival Documentary and Animated Film for Koullouna Lil Watan^[2]