Dir. Zeina Daccache 134 min, Metropolis Empire Sofil, Sept 2

Based on Reginald Rose’s classic American play ‘12 Angry Men’ came the play ‘12 Angry Lebanese’, acted out by the inmates of the notorious Roumieh prison. Having garnered awards and adulation left, right and centre, it’s now getting a cinematic release in Lebanon for the first time, for which a hearty round of applause.

To make the film, a total of 40 inmates came together – regardless of race, crime, age, colour or creed – to participate in this interpretation of a courtroom drama, infused with original music (performed live), comedy sketches, personal testimonies
and even a dance number – all enacted within the prison walls.

For the first time in the Arab world, this fortunate group of prisoners are able to communicate their frustration, remorse, the life lessons they’ve learned and even their talent to the world. The project brings appreciation to the human value of these individuals, regardless of the life choices they’ve made. The inmates’ interpretation of the 12 men debating the innocence or guilt of a 19-year-old boy convicted of murder and sentenced to death is nothing short of breathtaking. This is definitely an experiment gone right. Diane Farah