The Landmarks of Memory

Type: Short film; Experimental
Runtime: 7 min
Year: 2023

Synopsis: A tattoo ritual and hookah session memorializes a pre-war flower shop. After seeing its storefront in archival footage of the Lebanese Civil War, a first-generation daughter seeks information and connection to place. Scenes of 1976 Beirut are paired with today’s modern landscape, while roses are etched and coconut coals burn in a snowy diasporic setting.

Directed by Christina Hajjar
Edited by Christina Hajjar and Folks Films
Cinematography by Laina Brown
Conversation by Nada Hajjar and Christina Hajjar
Tattoo by Dasha Savchenko
Technical Assistance by Crystal Le
Archival Footage: Beirut, Never Again (1976), directed by Jocelyne Saab, written by Etel Adnan
With thanks to Mizna, Intima2 Program, Jocelyne Saab’s Friends Association, Canada Council for the Arts, Manitoba Arts Council, Manitoba Film & Music, and Winnipeg Film Group