“We will never forget” In the memory of the tragedy that occurred on Beirut’s port on August 4. <br />This is not a picture of a theatrical tragedy <br />This is not picture I wanted to make <br />This photograph doesn’t lie but it’s not enough to portray reality. <br />Few month ago, I took the picture of the lovers when the smell of hope was occupying the streets of Beirut. Two people kissing bridging and hoping for a better future. <br />Sometime after, the same hope started fading out due to Covid 19, the economic crisis… <br />People were not given a choice but to wake up every day on a big weight on their shoulders. <br />Regardless they were still resilient hoping it could to pass. <br />And then, <br />Beirut’s port bombing on August 4 happened <br />Our beloved Beirut was entirely wearing black. <br />People were reunited sorrow. <br />Their eyes were shouting anger. <br />Their heart was pumping despair. <br />And their gut was jumping from fear. <br />Even seeing the sunset with orange warm colors is not the same anymore. <br />This photograph is an archival of a specific moment when people had seen death in front of their eyes, running into the unknown not knowing what kind of disaster had happened. <br />A big fire”y” smoke breaking the city into pieces and hearts into billions of fragments. <br />While our beloved politicians, responsible in all sort of ways of this massacre, are sitting in their villas, secured and safe. <br />This picture is not enough to portray the tragedy. <br />The tragedy could not be portrayed in an image. <br />The damage could not be limited to one frame. <br />The pain resulted from the loss of our loved ones could never be reproduced. <br />Beirut is tired to be portrayed in pain. From now on things are different. Our voice is louder than ever. <br />Beirut should never have a picture covered with smoke anymore. <br />Nobody should ever be holding the statue of the virgin Mary praying for their loved ones to be alive. <br />What is gone cannot be replaced, what is left to us are few wishes, that the victims’ seeds will grow flowers, and Beirut blossoms into a peaceful life again and the political leaders will be shattered in pieces, equally to the amount of glass we had on Beirut’s floor. <br />The protagonists featured are people who are close to my heart, they are not actors but survivors of the Beirut explosion. <br /> <br />Imad in the role of the Politician <br />Fawzyeh and her sons xand y mother with kids <br />Raymonda in the role of the Bride <br />Emile in the role of the old men with the virgin Mary <br />Dana in the role of the woman hiding from the rock fall <br />Ghinwa in the role of the veiled woman with a broken leg <br />Zeenyin the role of political leader <br />Tarek in the role of the guy with a wounded head <br />Diva in the role of the theatrical character <br /> <br />The resilient Lebanese team behind this artwork made this photograph happen, a reminder me of the essence of my city. <br /> <br />Production manager: Sandra Abou Jaoudeh <br />Sfx-Make up- Cynthia Naoum <br />Special Effects: Cynthia Naoum <br />Make up assistant-: Elie Boudjok <br />Making off: Fares Sokhen
