The Cypriot Maronites Film Premiere

The Cypriot Maronites screening on Thursday September 21st from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm in the presence of the director and followed by a Q and A.

Synopsis

This documentary revolves around the Cypriot Maronites from the Turkish front of Cyprus, in the villages such as Assomatos, Kormakitis, Karpasha & Aya Marina.
Maronite is a religious rite coming from the region of Mount Lebanon. The name derives from Saint Maron, whose followers could maintain their own identity but still are dependent of the Catholic Church of Vatican.
The Maronites came from the Levant to Cyprus since more than 1200 years. Their numbers started to drop since 1974, after the arrival of the Turkish military base to the north of Cyprus, where only the elderly remained.
We shall be talking about this community, their attachment to their gradually disappearing language and decreased number, and their Maronite traditions deeply-rooted in their hearts, trying to save their identity through the time.

Director Biography – Carmen Labaki

Prologue
A Brazilian-Lebanese journalist and documentarist, movie director, movie producer & university professor. An activist in the world of journalism broadcasting lost cultures and untold stories and a combatant to give a voice to the unseen, hidden and unnoticed.

Owner of LUMENS Film Production that produced myriad documentaries; with an award-winning career that spans for more than 25 years, covering stories from “Armenians of the world” a winning of Best Documentary Film Award 2005 in Hollywood, to “La France au Liban” in 2001 awarded at the Francophonie Summit.

Discipline & Preparation
Graduated from the University of Sorbonne (Paris) with a Master Degree in Communication Art Studies. Earned as well a Master Degree in Journalism.
Benefactor of early life exposure to global living and awareness. Born in Lebanon under the umbrella ofLebanese & Brazilian cultures and proficient in 6 languages (French, English, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Armenian).

Active Functions/ Roles
Member of the Jury at the Lebanese University and university professor covering Film Direction & Production, Movie Criticism & Analysis, Documentary Film, TV Report, Publicity & mentoring students’ final projects for the Master Degree, member of the Jury for Documentaries at the Socially Relevant Film Festival in New York since 2017, Member of the Syndicate of Professional Artists in Lebanon, member of L’Association Francophone de Journalisme -AFEJ, member of the Lebanese Armenian FriendshipAssociation – LAFA and member of the jury for Documentaries on the Student Film Festival at Notre Dame University – NDU since 2010.

In addition to the work executed as a reporter and producer of movies, documentaries, reports and programs; have been a presenter of a social ludic and playful segment on radio “LIGHT FM” with an acclaimed French presenter Tanguy on both “La bonne Humeur” since 2013 and “Sunny Side Up” since 2020 till date.

Projects
DIRECTOR &PRODUCER OFDOCUMENTARIES & DOCU-DRAMAS
– The CypriotMaronites in progress – In collaboration with the Republic of Cyprus (Lumens Film Production)
– SOS International 2022, corporate videos
– The World in Lebanon in progress(Lumens Film Production)
– Look Above 2021 (Ave Fenix Philanthropic Group)
– Villages of the absent 2015 (Betterfly Production)
– I knocked on the Temple’s door2012(Lumens Film Production)
– The Aramaic Language spoken in Maaloula (ArdonTatakalamLoughat Al Massih)2011 (Al Jazeera)
– Ras El Khaimeh2008 (United Arab Emirates)
– Fendi Fashion Show in China2007 Sylvia Fendi & Karl Lagerfeld (LBCI – Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International)
– Miss Lebanon in Malaysia 2007 (LBCI)
– Miss Lebanon in Mexico 2007 (LBCI)
– My Name is Aram 2006(Lumens Film Production &LBCI)
– Armenia, the Sleeping beauty 2004 (LBCI)
– Armenians of the World 2004(Lumens Film Production &LBCI)
– La France au Liban2001Selected at the Francophonie Summit(Lumens Film Production & LBCI)
– Brazil in Lebanon1997(Lumens Film Production, MTV Lebanon& TV Cultura São Paulo)

DIRECTOR & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF REPORTS
– European Bank2019
– RLP Group 2019(Advertising Media Representative)
– LCEC 2018(The Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation – Ministry of Energy in Lebanon)
– Sustainable Akkar&Lebanon Wind Power2018 – 2019
– Seminars on filming at UNICEF Lebanon from 2006 until 2010
– Reports filmed in Brazil, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria etc. 2005 to 2010 (LBCI)
– Stay in Brazil 1997 to 2000 – Social, cultural and artistic reports

DIRECTOR &EXECUTIVE PRODUCEROF PROGRAMS
– Touristic & Culinary Program with Chef Ramzi Choueiri 2019
– Sawtna(Our voice) 2006to 2011 (UNICEF, Netherland’s Government& LBCI – Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International)
– Worlds Apart in Mongolia 2005(MBC)
– Star Academy France Endemol 2004-2005 (LBCI)
– Star Academy Lebanon Endemol2003-2004 (LBCI)
– News Producer 2001-2003 (LBCI)
– Paris défilé1997 (MTV Lebanon)
– Podium de l’Élégance1997(MTV Lebanon)

DIRECTOR & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF CORPORATE VIDEOS & ADS
– Sofy Product Ad2012(for Japan)
– Publicis Graphics 2008-2010
– Byblos Bank Lebanon 2006
– Boghossian Association in Armenia 2006
– Clip commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide 2005
– Beiteddine Film Festival 1997

Awards & Recognitions
“My Name is Aram” in 2006, “Armenians of the world” in 2004 and “Armenia, the sleeping beauty” in 2004 garnered multiple awards:
– Armenia Committee of Cyprus honorary award in 2009
– The Lebanese American University – LAU recognition in 2007
– Notre Dame University – NDU honorary award in 2007
– The Municipality of Baabdat honorary award in 2007
– Armenian committee of Qamishli & Damascus honorary award and recognition in 2005
– The university of Haigazian acknowledgement and honorary award in 2004
– Armenian Genocide Committee honorary award & recognition in 2004
– Anjar Municipality honorary award in 2004
And many additional enumerable awards

Beginnings Beginning in 1993 as an entry-level, started in French and Brazilian television:
– Training in France2 – Paris
– Training in France3 – Corsica
– Télé MonteCarlo in Monaco
– Sistema Brasileiro de Televisȃo in Sȃo Paulo
After a multitude of rich experiences my first documentary film “Brazil in Lebanon” in 1997was undertaken and was then appointed for 3 years as news producer at LBCI (Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International), then joined L’Orient Le Jour as a journalist in 2005.

Epilogue
Being a storyteller comes with responsibilities, “since through the old tradition of storytelling, humanity got stronger; tales and myths were created in ancient times leaving traces of past eras. In today’s world narratives are checked, affirmed and graved in history and as generations grow and develop, daily life turns into another mark in history leaving roadmaps to cultures, traditions and most importantly realities & truths” – C. Labaki

Director Statement

I have always been involved with Socio-anthropological subjects. But my main goal isn’t merely studying people and their culture as much as listening to what they have to say and sense their feelings. In Cyprus, I felt pain, yearning and frustration. The Maronites in Cyprus are people who left their homeland more than a thousand years ago, they lost their mother tongue with time and with the current Turkish occupation, history repeated itself and they once again lost their villages, homes, culture, language and even lives. Few of them are still holding up to the remains of this culture before it goes extinct. This documentary is for these people who have specific language, customs and traditions, who are afraid one day they no longer exist, nor their grandsons will. As for me, I refuse that their voices remain unheard and their pain unfelt. I have shed light before on the Armenian displacement and massacres through the documentaries “My Name is Aram” and “Armenians of Lebanon” as well as the fading of the Aramaic language through the documentary “A Land That Speaks the Language of The Messiah”. It is now time to tell the story of the Maronites of Cyprus.