Lebanese filmmaker Karim Kassem faced a major crisis just two weeks before the cameras were set to roll on his new film Moondove. After two years of hard work and preparation, everything fell apart. The lead actress and cinematographer pulled out, leaving Kassem with only one option: improvise. Instead of giving in to the pressure, Kassem wrote a brand-new script and even took on the role of cinematographer himself. This last-minute decision would lead to the creation of a deeply emotional and intimate documentary that has garnered attention at prestigious film festivals, including the Cairo Film Festival.
The Challenge: A Film Falling Apart Just Before Production
Imagine working for years on a film project—developing the script, casting the actors, and preparing the set—only to have everything fall apart two weeks before shooting. That’s exactly what happened to Karim Kassem with his fourth feature film, Moondove. Originally, the nonfiction film was set to follow a young woman returning to her small village in Mount Lebanon after years abroad, reconnecting with the locals in a story about community and belonging.
But then, just before production, both the lead actress and the cinematographer withdrew from the project. Left with no cast and no camera crew, Kassem was faced with a tough choice: he could either give up or find a way to keep going.
“I had two choices,” Kassem says. “Cry all of August or improvise a new film.” He chose to do the latter, and in just two weeks, he completely rewrote the script and even stepped in to take over the cinematography himself.
A New Approach: Turning the Film Into a Stage Play
With no time to waste, Kassem leaned into his improvisation skills and came up with a completely new vision for the film. Instead of abandoning the core themes and characters, he decided to adapt them into a new narrative structure. The idea was to transform the story into a sort of play, using town-wide rehearsals for an unseen stage production as a way to connect the film’s characters.
“I realized that each character’s story centered on departure in some meaningful way,” Kassem explains. Drawing inspiration from a play that one of the film’s subjects was actually starring in, he wrote a new text called Departures. This text would serve as the backbone of the film, with the subjects essentially acting out scenes from their own lives. This method allowed Kassem to delve deep into his subjects’ emotional worlds, capturing moments of vulnerability and introspection that are rare in typical nonfiction films.
“I had all the elements already in place,” Kassem says. “The characters, their stories, the themes—it all came to the forefront in a new way. These people had become like family over the two years of preparation, and that connection helped us create something authentic and raw.”
Capturing Intimacy in the Face of Mortality
One of the most moving aspects of Moondove is its exploration of mortality. As the film’s characters face the realities of aging and the passage of time, Kassem captures moments of deep intimacy, such as a powerful scene with a nonagenarian couple lying in bed, quietly checking to see if the other is still breathing.
Staging such a sequence was not easy, but Kassem emphasizes that his subjects were open and trusting, having already formed a close relationship with him during the pre-production period. “When you spend so much time with these people, they trust what you’re doing,” Kassem explains. “Everything you see in the film is real—what they’re feeling, what they’re going through.”
This sense of trust allowed Kassem to capture emotional moments that were not scripted or planned, but instead came from a place of real vulnerability. The result is a film that feels more like a personal diary than a traditional documentary.
The Calm Amidst Chaos: Kassem’s Unique Filmmaking Style
Kassem’s quiet, contemplative filmmaking style is also shaped by his own experiences. After spending years in New York working as a commercial director and DJ, he returned to his native Beirut in 2020, just one day before the catastrophic explosion at the city’s port. The blast nearly killed him, but Kassem channeled his grief and trauma into his next film, Octopus.
Octopus was a silent film shot in the wake of the Beirut explosion, capturing the mournful stillness that took over the city. The film went on to win Best Film at the IDFA Envision competition in 2021. Kassem’s decision to make a silent film, rather than something politically charged or aggressive, reflected his personal approach to filmmaking: slow, patient, and deeply connected to the natural rhythms of life.
“I’m never in a hurry, just like nature,” says Kassem. “I’ll do what I can in the way that time feels to me.”
The Ongoing Struggles of Filmmaking in Lebanon
Despite the success of Moondove and Octopus, Kassem’s next project faces significant challenges. He had already lined up his next feature, Before Now, Later, a Kafkaesque exploration of bureaucratic dysfunction. However, due to the ongoing war between Israel and Lebanon, filming in Lebanon has become impossible.
“All the areas I planned to shoot in are bombed,” Kassem says. “The project is on hold for now.”
Kassem also has two other feature films in the works, but the ongoing conflict has made it extremely difficult to focus on any of them. “There are drones 24/7, and there’s a bomb every hour or so. It’s really hard to focus on anything,” he says. Despite the difficulties, Kassem remains determined to keep making films.
“Even when my city and I are surrounded by chaos and war, there’s always a space for quiet in my heart and mind,” Kassem reflects. “There are always those simple moments, those Kiarostami moments, that happen in between the chaos. And I stay calm, I meditate, I do my martial arts, and I resist.”
The Power of Patience and Adaptability
Karim Kassem’s journey as a filmmaker is a testament to the power of patience, adaptability, and creativity in the face of adversity. From improvising a new script for Moondove in just two weeks to making a silent film in the aftermath of a tragedy, Kassem’s ability to find calm and meaning in chaos is at the heart of his filmmaking style.
As Moondove continues to receive recognition at international film festivals, it’s clear that Kassem’s approach to storytelling—rooted in authenticity, intimacy, and patience—resonates deeply with audiences. Despite the challenges of filming in a conflict zone, Kassem’s passion for capturing the quiet moments of life, even in times of turmoil, remains unwavering.
