Skies of Lebanon, Chloé Mazlo’s directorial debut, has been acquired by Dekanalog for the US. The distributor aims to release the film in theaters on July 22.
A poetic blending of the personal and political, Skies of Lebanon Combine live action with animation to create a vivid image of Lebanon inspired by filmmaker Mazlo’s family history. Using stories her grandmother told her about life during the Lebanese Civil War, Mazlo creates what the producers describe as a “touching and heartbreaking wartime love story.”
The film sees Alba Rohrwacher (Happy as Lazzaro) play Alice, a Swiss woman who moves to Beirut in the 1950s and falls in love with a Lebanese man. Wajdi Mouawad (author of the play to burn, which was the source material for Denis Villeneuve’s 2010 film of the same title) plays Joseph, an astrophysicist who dreams of sending his fellow citizens into space, and the object of Alice’s affection. Joseph and Alice seem to be living the perfect life until their happiness is torn apart by the Civil War and nothing will be the same.
In addition to announcing the acquisition, Dekanalog has also released the US trailer for: Skies of Lebanonwhich The Hollywood Reporter can reveal below exclusively.