Screening of The Dream (1987)
Sun 1 Nov · 19:00
Events
Director: Mohammad Malas
Duration: 45 minutes
Free Entry!
The Dream is a haunting 1987 Syrian documentary film directed by prominent filmmaker Mohammad Malas. Composed of a series of intimate interviews, the 45-minute film explores the literal night dreams of Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War.
Malas lived within the refugee camps between 1980 and 1981, immersing himself in the community and interviewing more than 400 people.
Production ground to a sudden halt following the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre. A devastating number of the refugees Malas had interviewed were killed during the multi-day massacre by Phalangist militias and the Israeli invasion.
Deeply affected by the tragedy, Malas paused the project for years. He returned to the footage in 1986, editing hours of tape down to its final 45-minute form at the state television facilities of the German Democratic Republic (East Berlin). It was officially released in 1987.
Instead of focusing squarely on political rhetoric or active combat footage, Malas asked children, women, elderly folk, and fedayeen (militants) a simple question: What do you see when you sleep?
