Jocelyne Saab facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jocelyne Saab
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Jocelyne Saab during Vesoul International Asian film festival, 2009.
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| Born | 30 April 1948 |
| Died | 7 January 2019 (aged 70) |
| Occupation | Film director, Journalist |
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Notable work
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A Suspended Life, Once Upon a Time:Beirut, Dunia |
Jocelyne Saab (born April 30, 1948 – died January 7, 2019) was a talented Lebanese journalist and film director. She is known as one of the first important filmmakers from Lebanon. Jocelyne was a reporter, photographer, writer, producer, and artist. She also started the Cultural Resistance International Film Festival of Lebanon.
Saab often focused on people who were struggling or didn't have a voice. This included people forced to leave their homes, fighters in exile, cities at war, and countries that were very poor. Her work showed the impact of violence in history. She used her films to document, think about, and speak out against it.
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Her Journey in Film and Journalism
Jocelyne Saab grew up in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. In the 1970s, she finished her studies in economics. Soon after, she started working for television. Her first job was hosting a pop music show on Lebanese radio. She then worked for a newspaper before becoming a TV newsreader.
Saab also became a war correspondent. This meant she reported from places where wars were happening. She covered conflicts in Egypt and South Lebanon. She even went to Libya in 1971 and reported on the October War in 1973. In 1975, she worked as a reporter for French television.
Making Documentaries During Wartime
When the Lebanese Civil War started, Jocelyne Saab began making documentary films. These films showed real events and people. Her first documentary was called Lebanon in Turmoil.
After two years, she changed how she made documentaries. She started adding her own feelings and thoughts to them. This made her films more personal. Her country was being torn apart by conflict, and her films showed this. One expert said her films were "beautiful and moving." They showed daily life during destruction and displacement. They also had a poetic feeling that went beyond the conflict and despair.
After the War: New Films and Festivals
After the civil war ended, Saab kept making films. She made both documentaries and fiction films. Fiction films tell a story that is made up, even if it feels real.
Her film Dunia traveled around the world. It was shown at big film festivals like Sundance and Toronto.
Jocelyne Saab also became part of the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC). In 2013, she created the Cultural Resistance International Film Festival of Lebanon. She wanted to show Asian films in Lebanon. She started the festival in five Lebanese cities. Her goal was to promote peace and understanding through movies.
Later Work: Video Art
In her last years, Jocelyne Saab explored video art. This is a type of art that uses video technology. She released three short videos as part of bigger art projects. One Dollar A Day was also a photo exhibition. My Name Is Mei Shigenobu was a short version of a longer documentary she planned to make.
Jocelyne Saab's Films
Jocelyne Saab made many films throughout her career. Here are some of her notable works.
TV Reportages
- 1973 : Kadhafi : The Green March
- 1973 : October War
- 1974 : Palestinian Keep Fighting
- 1982 : Lebanon : State of Shock
Documentary Films
- 1975 : Lebanon in Turmoil
- 1976 : Children of War
- 1976 : Beirut, Never Again
- 1982 : Beirut My City
- 2016 : One Dollar a Day
- 2018 : My Name Is Mei Shigenobu
Fiction Films
- 1985 : A Suspended Life (Ghazal el-Banat)
- 1994 : Once Upon A Time : Beirut, the History of a Star
- 2005 : Dunia, Kiss Me Not on the Eyes
Art Installations
Jocelyne Saab also created art installations. These are art pieces set up in a space, often for people to walk through or interact with.
- 2006 : Strange Games and Bridges (shown in Dubai and Singapore)
- 2013 : Café du Genre (shown in Marseille, France)
- 2017 : One Dollar A Day (shown in Istanbul and Beirut)
Her Book
Just before she passed away, Jocelyne Saab published a photography book. It was called Zones de guerre (War Zones). The book showed photos and stills from her films and work throughout her career.
Awards and Recognition
Jocelyne Saab's film Dunia was nominated for important awards.
- Nomination for the Grand Prix des Amériques at the Montreal World Film Festival in 2005.
- Nomination for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006.
See also
In Spanish: Jocelyne Saab para niños
