INTERVIEW
"Every time there is a small rise in hope, we fall back into what I have experienced since 1975, with the start of the civil war," Ziad Doueiri expresses. Guest from Europe 1, Friday, the Lebanese director returned to the crisis experienced by his country of origin. A country that "has known so many roller coasters" that "you never get used to," he says.
Lebanon, in the grip of a political and economic crisis for months, was hit on August 4 by an explosion which devastated the port of Beirut. A catastrophe which rekindled the anger of the Lebanese against the corruption, irresponsibility and negligence of their political leaders. "Maybe this explosion will lead the people to say to themselves 'enough is enough'," said Ziad Doueiri, adding to hope so with all his heart. But for that, he insists, his people must find a leader.
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"What could have united us, divides us"
"We are a poorly surrounded and fairly complex country," says the filmmaker, who notably directed The Insult , nominated for the prize for best foreign film at the Oscars, which tells about Lebanon in its divisions and its potential drifts. "What is it that divides France? The class struggle: what is it that divides the United States? The 'races' between blacks and whites; Lebanon is religions," explains Ziad Doueiri. "It's a bouquet that could be very beautiful," he continues, "but what could have united us divides us," he said, lamenting that religions are taking precedence over "the nationalism of a people".
According to him, the country must be united at all costs. But to undertake any revolution against the system in place, Ziad Doueiri hammers it: "We need a leader!" Leaders, Lebanon has had some in its history, explains the Lebanese director, citing in particular Bachir Gemayel and Rafic Hariri, two personalities whom he describes as "heroes", but whom he specifies that they were both assassinated. "Murdered by the same enemy who is still in power," he adds, pointing to Hezbollah. "The Lebanese people are occupied and hostage to this party that is Hezbollah. No other country accepts a party more powerful militarily than the state."
Nelson Mandela, Che Guevara, Gandhi ... After having cited a number of personalities who have taken the lead in "revolutions", Ziad Doueiri repeats it: he is convinced of it, "we will have to move our ass and find a leader to represent us! "
"Macron came to extend a hand of hope to a desperate people"
Can international aid, especially that of France, not put enough pressure to help Lebanon find a better balance? "I am not a political scientist, I don't know what is going on behind the scenes," said Ziad Doueiri. The director insists, however, on the impact that Emmanuel Macron's visit had on the Lebanese. "The arrival of Macron has given a lot of hope to these people," he said, sweeping aside the criticisms of which the French president has been subjected and which he describes as "nonsense". The French head of state, the first foreign leader to go there after the disaster had indeed suffered many criticisms, accused in particular of "colonialism". For Ziad Doueiri, it is not. "Macron came to extend a hand of hope to a desperate, trampled people."