Seated Roots is a creative documentary that establishes the relationship of the young generation with the city of beirut from an
anthropological level. The film was premiered at the Arab short film festival winning the jury Prize, and was screened at the Ecran du réel Festival, the European FF in Beirut and kask Cinéma festival in Belgium.
Seated Roots
العودة إلى الجذور المرئية
Documentary, 15, Beirut, Lebanon
Documentary, 15, Beirut, Lebanon
Festivals:
European film festival, Arab film festival, Kask cinema, Ecran du Reél, Indie Film Festival.
Awards:
Audiance award (Arab film festival, Beirut, Lebanon, 2022)
A breather on the pavement of strangers (2022)
A Breather on the Pavement of strangers is a documentary merging the intimate with the political, centered around stories of
people from the island of Cyprus questioning their belonging and identity.
The project was collaboratively produced with the community after a series of workshops conducted by Cindy Chehab as part of a 6 months Artist residency hosted by Sharq.Org.
The project was collaboratively produced with the community after a series of workshops conducted by Cindy Chehab as part of a 6 months Artist residency hosted by Sharq.Org.
A breather on the pavement of strangers
Artist Residency, Documentary
Larnaca, Cyprus
Artist Residency, Visual installation
On the fringes of a burning memory (2023)
On the fringes of a burning memory is a hauntological audiovisual exploration into memory, space, and time, in relation to excessive consumption habits of the modern image in a saturated social media sphere.
This project was developed as part of the 2022 edition of the Virtual Collaborative Program for Emerging Artists, presented by Exit 11 Performing Arts Company. It is presented as part of Exit 11’s exhibition, Peripheries.
On the fringes of a burning memory
على هامش ذاكرة مشتعلة
Artist Residency, Visual installation
Eindhoven, The Netherlands, 2023
على هامش ذاكرة مشتعلة
Artist Residency, Visual installation
Eindhoven, The Netherlands, 2023
Link: https://www.exit11arts.com/peripheries/
"Where Do We Go with All This Love" is a visual installation featured in an exhibition in Budaörs, Hungary, as part of a
one-week contemporary animation collage residency.
Animation comtemporary Horizons
Budarös, Hungary
October 2023
Link: https://primanimafestival.hu/en/egyeb-programok/reszletes-program/63?fbclid=PAAaY-gdzEdvkAqw5RKuk3KQB_8nTervt2MV4uEnDdMP4jVUCMEYhngSjFd5s_aem_AeHYUUfY_e2i8M-TAJscF0VIdoE4Jt17VMqzbjraKk47Qkriywr2HnjlPAov2MuyZSU
Budarös, Hungary
October 2023
Link: https://primanimafestival.hu/en/egyeb-programok/reszletes-program/63?fbclid=PAAaY-gdzEdvkAqw5RKuk3KQB_8nTervt2MV4uEnDdMP4jVUCMEYhngSjFd5s_aem_AeHYUUfY_e2i8M-TAJscF0VIdoE4Jt17VMqzbjraKk47Qkriywr2HnjlPAov2MuyZSU
Nicosia Cineclub (2022-2024)
Cinema collective in Nicosia, Cyprus, Curated by Cindy Chehab and Nuné Tunjikian.
2022 - 2024, Cyprus
Cinema collective in Nicosia, Cyprus, Curated by Cindy Chehab and Nuné Tunjikian.
2022 - 2024, Cyprus
Film, memory, and Trauma
The challenge of forgetting has intensified due to the captivating and paradoxically joyful act of capturing the human experience on film. Pictures, narratives, and impressions all co-construct memory. We wanted to explore through this program how filmmakers navigate this subject, examining our connections and knowledge as we witness these portrayals on screen, through evoking our memories and prompt contemplation on how cinema shapes our recollections, the depiction of trauma in films, the narratives surrounding memories, and their impact on our understanding of it.
This program was presented within the framework of INDAFF | Film, memory, and Trauma closing event.
EL TAELLER MULTI-SPACE | NICOSIA, CYPRUS
09/04/2024
Program (60’)
And I Wish You a Happy Life (2020)
A Full Life, I suppose (2023)
In the presence of filmmaker Alexandros Pissourios.
On decolonial narratives around public transport
Public transport is more than just a means of getting from one place to another; it is an essential part of a city's identity, shaping its form and influencing the daily lives of its residents. The removal or disruption of public transport systems can strip a city of its character, echoing the dislocation experienced by migrants who leave their home countries and must adapt to new environments. As migrants navigate new destinations, often in former colonial powers, they encounter different modes of transport that further distance them from their cultural roots.Through curated film screenings, this project explores the decolonial narratives embedded in public transport systems in Cyprus and Lebanon, shedding light on the complex histories of both islands and countries. The first screening featured colonial British films, followed by a discussion led by historian Ilaeira Agrotou Georgiou. This was followed by the workshop Tactical Bus Stops / Ad-Hoc Bus Stops in Nicosia conducted by Georges Kyrou, in collaboration with Pame Kaimakli.
In Cyprus, bus stops are often without shade or rain cover, typically consisting only of a signpost placed on the pavement. The project tasked participants with building a bus shelter using ad-hoc techniques, upcycling discarded or unwanted materials to create a pleasant space for waiting. The goal was to create a sense of monumentality around the bus stop, fostering a community connection to the structure and a sense of pride in its uniqueness through a tactile workshop.
The project culminated in January 2025 with Raneen Shamas's exhibition "Lost in Transit," which was held at El Taeller space in Nicosia.
In Lebanon, the mobility landscape is adorned with a vibrant mixture of words. From the backs of buses to the sides of trucks, these vehicles are not only carriers of passengers but also moving canvases, bearing witness to a nation's social, emotional, and cultural flows. Lost in Transit, a photo exhibition by Beirut-based artist Raneen Shamas, explores this vernacular, unraveling the hidden narratives within the everyday movement of people and goods.
Shamas gathers and recontextualizes the poetic, humorous, and often raw inscriptions found on these vehicles. These phrases, slang expressions, declarations of love, sharp political commentary, or heartfelt prayers: become windows into the collective memory of a society navigating its complexities. The language is raw, sometimes personal, yet universally resonant, reflecting ideas of identity, resilience, and adaptation in a world in constant motion.
The exhibition featured a parallel screening of Hady Zakkak's Marcedes (2011), a feature documentary exploring the life of a car as a witness to Lebanon’s political history from the French colonial era through the civil war. Followed by Fatima Joumaa's Our Beautiful Eyes (2022), a poetic personal reflection on encounters with mobility and identity in Paris.
On Revolution and Institutions
Our bi-weekly film program investigates the dynamic tension between systems of power and the forces that challenge them. Highlighting films from diverse eras and regions, the program delves into the complexities of revolutions—political and social—and the institutions that resist, adapt, or collapse under their pressure. The selection captures the spirit of rebellion and the transformative power of collective action, inviting audiences to reflect on cycles of oppression and the shifting relationship between individuals and institutions.
SOCIAL SPACE KAYMAKKIN | NICOSIA, CYPRUS
Bi-weekly film screening, October - December 2024
Program:
Memories of Underdevelopment (1968) by Tomás Gutierrez Alea
Born in Flames (1983) by Lizzie Borden
The hour of liberation has arrived (1974) by Heiny Srour
A grin without a cat (1977) by Chris Maker
The Valley of Salt (2016) by Christophe M. Saber
Dust Games (2000) by Martin Marecek
Film festival 2nd edition | Programmer | Indie Film Festival | April 2024, Cyprus
As a co-programer for INDAFF, we programmed a series focused on shorts from SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa), divided into three distinct days, each exploring different facets of cinema. The program featured:
26/04/24
Cinema as a Cycle of Life: Shorts that reflect the ongoing rhythms and transitions of human existence.
27/04/24
Cinema as a Love Language: A selection of films that explore love, relationships, and emotional connection.
28/04/24
Decolonial and Indigenous Cinema: A day dedicated to shorts that challenge colonial narratives and highlight Indigenous perspectives.
Each day of the program showcased diverse voices from the SWANA region, offering audiences a chance to reflect on key cultural, political, and emotional themes through the lens of global cinema
A Performance Installation
September 2022, Πρόγραμμα ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΣ ΥΠΠΑΝ
Concept/Text/Choreography Annie Khoury
Performing Panayiotis Tofi / Annie Khoury
Set Design Elena Kotasvili / Alexis Vayianos
Mentoring Fotis Nicolaou
Set Design Assistant Raf Tsiakli
Costumes/Sound Design Annie Khoury
Booklet Elena Kotasvili / Annie Khoury
Graphics/Communication Annie Khoury
Video Documentation Cindy Chehab
Set Construction George Christianopoulos
Ευχαριστούμε Παναγιώτη Μήνά για τις 'PYGOLAMBIDES' σου, που ακούστηκαν στην performance, ευχαριστούμε KISA Metalworks, Άντρια Ζένιου, Κωνσταντίνα Αντρέου και Home4Cooperation για την υποστήριξη.
Stunning Photography by Demetris Loutsios
The duo ichomagnetic thoughts (Antonia Kattou & Stelios Antoniou) unfold a platform titled ‘ichomagnetics’ that will engage in transdisciplinary interactions and happenings. Their first event 22° halo is co-curated with Nicola Mitropoulou.
Sound
ichomagnetic thoughts, George Bizios, Jörg Holland, mystiki fleva (Antonia Kattou), Stelios Antoniou
Visuals
Orestis Telemachou, Khaled Khalifa, Ioanna Economidou, Nicola Mitropoulou
Photos: Antonia Maria
Video documentation: Cindy Chehab
Nicosia, Cyprus, 2023
Don't Forget To Water The Plants
A Performance Installation
Nicosia, Cyprus, 2022