West Beyrouth

« This is an « extrovert » culture. Expressions of joy are never controlled, they explode. Grief is never silent, it spreads to others. » Beirut, April 13, 1975: first official day of the Lebanese Civil War. The passengers of a Pales-tinian bus are massacred by the militia in front of Tarek and Omar, two teenagers who live in West Beirut, the Muslim section of the city. The Christians control East Beirut and this geograph-ical division is the symbol of a country and people now torn apart. However, Tarek and Omar, determined to make the most of their youth to have fun, pretend to ignore the tragedy unfolding before their eyes. Especially as their school has shut down. Together with May, a young Christian girl, they nonchal-antly live through the first year of war, become aware of new sexual urges. But gradually, they are drawn into the spiralling violence…