Maroun Bagdadi (also Baghdadi; ar, مارون بغدادي, ; January 21, 1950 – December 10, 1993) was a Lebanese

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, pr ...

known for his vivid portrayal of

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lie ...

'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 France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Career

Maroun Bagdadi was arguably

's most prominent filmmaker, one whose work has been seen all over the world. One of his best-known films, ''Houroub Saghira'' (''

Little Wars ''Little Wars'' is a set of rules for playing with toy soldiers, written by English novelist H. G. Wells in 1913. The book, which had a full title of ''Little Wars: a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for t ...

''), was shown at the

1982 Cannes Film Festival The 35th Cannes Film Festival was held from 14 to 26 May 1982. The Palme d'Or was jointly awarded to ''Missing'' by Costa Gavras and '' Yol'' by Şerif Gören and Yılmaz Güney. The festival opened with the 1916 film '' Intolerance'', directed ...

, drawing this comment from a prominent film critic: "To make a film about

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

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. Bagdadi died on December 10, 1993, aged 43, allegedly after an accidental fall down an elevator shaft at his home in Beirut. He was survived by his wife, Soraya, whose acting career continues as of 2017, and their three children.

Filmography

*''

La Fille de l'air ''La fille de l'air'' is a 1992 French film directed by Maroun Bagdadi. Cast * Béatrice Dalle as Brigitte * Hippolyte Girardot as Philippe * Jean-Claude Dreyfus as Marcel * Catherine Jacob as Rose * Thierry Fortineau as Daniel * Roland Bert ...

'' (1992) *''

Out of Life ''Out of Life'' (french: Hors la vie) is a 1991 in film, 1991 film directed by Lebanon, Lebanese director Maroun Bagdadi. The film tells the story of a French people, French photographer (played by Hippolyte Girardot), who is kidnapped in Beirut, L ...

'' (1991) *'' Lebanon, the Land of Honey and Incense'' (1988) *'' The Veiled Man'' (1987) *''

'' (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 The 44th Cannes Film Festival was held from 9 to 20 May 1991. The Palme d'Or went to ''Barton Fink'' by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. The festival opened with ''Homicide'', directed by David Mamet and closed with ''Thelma & Louise'', directed by Rid ...

for

(Hors La Vie) *Jury Honor Prize at the International Leipzig Festival Documentary and Animated Film for Koullouna Lil Watan

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bagdadi, Maroun 1950 births 1993 deaths Accidental deaths from falls Lebanese film directors