DUBAI: Blending dark humor and raw emotion, Lebanese director Samir Syriani’s short film “What If They Bomb Here Tonight?” makes its regional debut at the ongoing Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah.
Set in Lebanon, the 17-minute film captures the reality of living near an active warzone, Syriani told Arab News.
“This movie is based on a real story that happened in my home. My wife, Nadine, and my kids all acted in the film because we wanted to capture the reality we actually lived,” said the director of Israel’s ground and aerial military campaign in Lebanon between 2023-24. Despite a ceasefire in place, Israel has continued bombing parts of Lebanon.
“What If They Bomb Here Tonight?” is a short film by Samir Syriani. (Supplied)
“Samir and Nadine, a Lebanese couple, endure a sleepless night, gripped by the fear that an Israeli airstrike could shatter the glass walls of their home. With their children nearby, they struggle with an impossible choice: remain and risk their safety, or leave behind the life they’ve worked so hard to build,” the film’s official logline reads.
“We live in what’s considered a ‘safe area,’ but during the war, even that safety became fragile. I wanted to show that war isn’t just destruction and death — it also destroys your peace of mind,” explained Syriani.
Syriani uses dark humor to depict the absurdity of some of his fears while still capturing the trauma his family experienced.
“We didn’t want to act like victims. This isn’t a film about pity; it’s about how people live with fear, how they adapt, how they laugh through it,” he said.
The Arabic-language drama marks the first time Syriani has taken on a role in front of the camera.
“It was tough because I was reliving real fear, not just performing it. Every scene reminded us of that anxiety we felt during the bombings, especially with my children on set. It wasn’t acting anymore; it was us trying to process what we had lived through,” he said.
The film’s premiere at the Red Sea Film Festival marks its debut in the Arab world, and Syriani said that holds a special place in his heart.
“After screening at more than 60 festivals abroad, I already know how international audiences respond — where they laugh, where they grow quiet. But this time, it’s different. This is home. This is the audience that lived what I’m talking about,” he explained.
“This film is about how every Lebanese person lived the war — some lost homes, others lost loved ones, and some just lost their peace. But all of us lived it.”
The Red Sea International Film Festival runs until Dec. 13 in Al-Balad in Jeddah.
