FAIRUZ

The Lebanese singer Fairuz has been a living legend for more than half a century, revered from Iraq to Morocco. To some she is worshipped almost like a goddess with supernatural powers; to others she embodies their memories and long-lost dreams. She comes from Beirut, once a prosperous port city and a refuge for people of many religions and ethnic backgrounds. From 1975 onward, this idyll was shattered as Beirut was torn apart by a fifteen-year civil war. Even during the war, Fairuz continued to be adored—by men and women alike, Christians and Muslims.

The film Fairuz – We Hielden Zoveel van Mekaar portrays a range of these diverse residents of Beirut. Most have carried the singer in their hearts since childhood. One woman recalls meeting Fairuz in person as a girl. Another sees her as a substitute for her absent mother. A man explains how her music sustained him during years in a Syrian prison. A photographer shows the many photos he took of her and suggests that both his marriages failed because his wives did not love Fairuz.

Through these personal stories, the film paints a portrait of the fractured city of Beirut. In her nostalgia-laden songs, Fairuz gives voice to the pain of the Lebanese people.

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