Mafkoud (Missing), a Lebanese movie about the missing of the civil war, launched in Beirut on Thursday.
The movie tells the story of Sari, the main character who, despite the years that have passed since his abduction, “still remembers small details from the moment he last saw his mother, specifically, her eyes and her words asking him to never look back.”
“Now, jailed for the murder of his friend, Sari pleads his innocence to set off and continue the search for his mother. However, he lacks the evidence that proves he did not commit the crime,” reads the synopsis.
“Behind these walls, Sari’s encounter will put him on a journey to his past, delving into his deepest memories, and revealing his true identity.”
The story is fictional, but it is inspired by real events that took place during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), during which the fate of thousands of Lebanese became unknown.
Lebanese director Bachir Abou Zeid told Independent Arabia that he was particularly affected by the story of a woman looking for her missing son.
He met the woman while he was working on the movie and she told him that she was still awaiting the news of her son’s death.
Mafkoud, which is Abo Zeid‘s first feature film, debuted in VOX Cinemas Lebanon on Thursday.
It was initially set to launch in Tunisia, but its premiere was delayed due to the increase in its coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and the Tunisian government’s decision to close cinemas in the country.
In November, Abou Zeid received the Best Directorial Debut Award for Mafkoud at the Alexandria Mediterranean Film Festival.
