Marathon Beirut, For the Love of Lebanon by Deborah Harse/ Lebanon/USA / 2008/ 80 min/ DVD

Marathon Beirut, For the Love of Lebanon is a documentary that was shot mostly in November-December 2006. A marathon in the aftermath of the war with Israel was that much more ardent a metaphor for perseverance. Despite all the political upheavel, the Beirut Marathon Association chose to carry on with the event as a testament to the resilience of the Lebanese people. But just 5 days before the race, a government minister, Pierre Gemayel, was assassinated. After much deliberation, they decided not to cancel, but to postpone the race by one week. Then, 2 days before the new marathon date, Hezbollah called for a rally in the central square. But nevertheless, the marathon took place with 24,000 people turning out in solidarity to run or walk the 5 kM, 10 kM and 42 kM races with For the Love of Lebanon as the theme. And of course, a Kenyan won.

Deborah Harse has a BA in music from Queens College and studied at the International Center of Photography in New York, where she has also exhibited. Her photo essays on Cuba and Vietnam have been exhibited at Queens College of Art and Time Life respectively. She has more than 20 exhibits to her credit and her photographs have been acquired by MOMA among many other institutions. Marathon Beirut is her first feature documentary.

Last updated: 2008-06-18 18:04:33