Friday, July 04, 2008

WATANI (My Country)

EXT. DOWNTOWN BEIRUT. DUSK - 1977

A big stray dog trolls on a very dusty street that has traces of shoes but not cars. Bushes grow out from sidewalks and cement on both sides of the street. The beast sniffs around some bushes and finds a dead body behind a bush. That keeps him busy.

One of the light poles on the sidewalk of the street is severely bent and it almost blocks the street. The building entrances on both sides of the street are so dusty. Bullet and shell holes decorate the walls of every single building.

Some low music from a radio transistor can be heard, and Lebanese Singer Fairouz singing “Watani”. The buildings seem alike because of the dirt which covers them. But some spots of yellow or pale pink still show from below the dust. Buildings stand weakly on both sides of the bushy deserted street.

New colorful small size posters of “Star Wars” decorate the entrances of several buildings.

One iron board sticks out from the first floor balcony of a building, and says “Fresh Baked Bread Daily”.

Most of the balconies are destroyed, have no handrails, or dangle down from the old traditional buildings. One balcony with a huge hole reveals a line of colorful laundry that sways gently with the breeze. Some yellow light is coming from inside the balcony. It is a lux light which reflects shadows of few people eating on the bullet decorated wall.

A big, old, pale poster of “Chinatown” consumes the whole side of a building. It also has lots of bullet and shell holes.

On the roof of one of the buildings a sniper lies down on his side, smoking a cigarette. His rifle lies close to him. To his left is a junkie radio transistor from which the music comes.

The old street stretches in the horizon to reveal the sea. Dusk engulfs the grey city.

Fairouz’s song plays:“You are the strong/You are the wealthy/You are the world/My country”

THE END