In August 2020, a devastating blast shook Beirut to its core. While rubble and heartbreak littered the streets in its wake, one production company remained committed to their upcoming film.

Costa Brava told the story of a family seeking refuge from corruption and pollution. As bombshell after bombshell rocked their battered city, the crew faced the immense challenge of mounting their meaningful drama amid the unfolding mayhem.

Director Mounia Akl and her talented team exemplified resilience as they worked to complete their story—a story that would come to reflect Lebanon’s own endurance against the odds.

Lebanon’s Interwoven Crises

The opening shots of “Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano” take us back decades to gain crucial context. In Maroun Bagdadi’s “Whispers,” a poet wanders the ruins of war-torn Beirut. Her anguished words echo through time, capturing the aftermath of civil conflicts that tore her beloved city apart.