“IN THE SHADOW OF BEIRUT was Ireland's official selection for the Oscars for Best International Feature at the 96th Academy Awards in 2024 So the film ended up in two categories having also qualified for Best Documentary Feature from a festival award. We performed a near miracle in the Oscars campaign. For a tiny Irish-Lebanese team of indie filmmakers without the marketing and publicity budgets of the streamers, studios and major Oscar campaigners, we came from nowhere to being ranked inside the top 25 films in both categories in the major trade rankings! Which is a load of nonsense to be honest. But the Oscar buzz helps keep the people in the film and the stories they symbolise in the hearts and minds of audiences. Which makes this long journey more worthwhile :)
Some reviews here.
https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/in-the-shadow-of-beirut-review-1235831011/
Massive thanks to our tiny Lebanese-Irish team, especially Lebanese producer Abbout Productions, Myriam Sassine and our Lebanese editor Zeina Aboul-Hosn for helping bring sensitives of the Arab female perspective to the film. The people in the film had immense ownership of what I filmed and didn't film in what was a collaborative experience over 7 plus years. Brendan Byrne who brought the determination of a bear after hibernation. Garry Keane the level headed storyteller. Iseult Howlett the careful, caring eye. So lots of good things to talk about :) The film captures the stark reality of Beirut’s long oppressed Sabra and Shatila neighborhoods, and feels particularly relevant with the tragic violence currently engulfing the Middle East. Two of the families are Lebanese, one is Syrian and one is Palestinian-Syrian (but all born in Lebanon). It is not a political documentary; it's a film about the fragility of human dignity and the power of love among ordinary men, women and children surmounting extraordinary odds and is from a non-Israeli viewpoint.”
-Stephen Gerard Kelly
MYRIAM SASSINE (Abbout Productions) Co-Producer IN THE SHADOW OF BEIRUT
“I was approached by a team of Irish filmmakers who had a throve of powerful footage from the neighbourhoods of Sabra and Shatila, some of the toughest parts of Beirut, and invited to become a producer on this film. I remain deeply impressed and genuinely moved by how the filmmakers approached and filmed people with both sensitivity and respect. The film captures the stark realities of poverty faced by families every day, highlighting the humanity and kindness and how people continue to live, love and hope in the face of overwhelming adversity. The filmmakers’ dedication to immersing themselves in the community is evident throughout the film, and the deep connection to the families shines through in every frame. This film is a must watch for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of the human cost of the ongoing multifaceted crisis, and a powerful window in a rarely seen world, even by Lebanese people living in Lebanon.”
ZEINA ABOUL-HOSN, LEBANESE EDITOR, IN THE SHADOW OF BEIRUT
“IN THE SHADOW OF BEIRUT is truly a labour of love. In both the intimate moments cinematically captured by Stephen over 4 years as a deep level of trust grows among the people he gets to know first as friends and then like adopted family and the hard work that went into editing the material and creating the film. This is no normal documentary where people parachute into a foreign land to film an unknown people. It's impossible to capture the footage Stephen filmed without investing significant time and developing real friendships, particularly in this part of Beirut. Stephen takes time to get to know people first and understand who they are before ever filming. This shows in the footage. There is a fantastic, passionate and experienced team behind this project, and I, as a Lebanese woman, feel privileged to have been part of it.”
