Distraught over Beirut's destruction, Yasmine and Leila embark on a journey in search of its past. Their possession of two rare, unreleased film reels lands them an encounter with Monsieur Farouk, a reclusive film connoisseur. Through the magic of cinema, the three of them go back in time on a mythical and history-laden tour of the city. Here the movie shines with images of Beirut from the large-scale American studio efforts of the 1970's to the Beirut of the 1960's as seen through the lenses of Arab filmmakers, to the French-directed films of the 1930s. Once Upon a Time: Beirut offers an enchanting look at one of the Middle East's most complex and beautiful cities.


Once Upon a Time: Beirut = Kan Ya Makan Beirut = Il était une fois Beyrouth histoire d'une star


Balcon Production... [et al.] presentent ; direction & production: Jocelyne Saab ; script: Philippe & Roland Paringuax, Jocelyne Saab. Editors, Dominique Isabelle, Auvray Dedieu. 1 videocassette (101 min.). WITH: Michele Tyan, Myrna Makaron, Emile Accar.