27 September 2006

BEIRUT: The office of a very new, very young arts organization called Namleh At3a (an Arabic expressing meaning "an ant crossing by") is located in the off-Hamra Street restaurant De Prague - not by default but literally. Walk past the kitchen, out the back door and into the storage closet and there you will find Beatrice Harb, 23, and Nina Najjar, "I'll be 21 in November," nestled among the water bottles, wine cases and liquor racks.

Established on August 10 and refined at a meeting on the graffiti-covered staircase next to the American University of Beirut two days later, Namleh's mission is to give young artists a chance to enter the local art scene by producing new work and getting it shown. The organization's first project is called "Shoot the War," which consists of short-film screenings and an exhibition opening tonight at Masrah al-Madina.

"Artists' organizations and associations exist in Beirut," says Harb. "But not everyone dares to go to them because at this point they work with established people."

Harb and Najjar wanted to start something for the next generation, and for those working in other media painters, sound engineers, graphic designers who want to take a crack at making video art or short films.

Between August 10 and August 12, the pair came up with a plan to procure and lend video equipment to prospective participants with a plan. They'd have a day to use the cameras, and then Harb and Najjar would help them edit and complete their works.

Screening tonight are the results some 23 films produced over the course of one month from an initial pool of 60. A few of the pieces existed already. Another few have been seen before (Beirut DC's Ayam Beirut al-Cinemaiyya film festival) or will be seen again soon (Espace SD's upcoming exhibition "Nafass Beirut"). But Harb estimates that about 15 are new and unique productions.

"Shoot the War" is one of a series of arts initiatives that bounced out like a counterpunch to the war that devastated Lebanon this summer and threatened to take Beirut's vibrant art scene with it.

"You know, when there is war, people have nothing to do," explains Najjar. "They want to feel useful."

"In the beginning we felt people were interested," adds Harb. "This encouraged us."

The duo behind Namleh acquired a make-shift office from De Prague because Najjar used to bartend and DJ there and continues to program the cafe's film screenings ("Right now we are showing Japanese films: Akira Kurasawa, Beat Takeshi.")

They borrowed projectors from Zicco House in Sanayeh. And they robbed filmmaker Ghassan Salhab (who keeps his own office in De Prague by default) of his contacts, along with some much-appreciated advice and a few recommendations.

Tonight's screenings should bear the fruit of their youthful enthusiasm.

Namleh At3a's "Shoot the War" program is screening tonight at Masrah al-Madina. For more information, please check out www.namlehat3a.blogspot.com