Running with Beasts
Date:
December 15, 2022
Running with Beasts
Running with Beasts
by Leila Basma
Other Stories | Czech Republic
Spotless Mind Films | Lebanon
Live-action feature | 1st feature
*the access to our meeting platform and director’s previous works will start from January 10, 2025
Logline
Amid Lebanon’s economic collapse, five high school friends embark on a risky secret plan to afford their dreams. Their bodies are weirdly transforming and they will soon face the unexpected price of growing up.
Synopsis
In the midst of the ongoing Lebanese economic crisis, a group of five high schoolers meets one last time after their graduation day to finalize their secret plan, which guarantees to afford their approaching dreams.
Lana, Mira, Omar, James, and Nader each have to face the sudden pressure of stepping into adulthood in a country dwelling in tragedies. On top of struggling with their personal lives, their sexualities, and their relationships, they are also going through inexplicable changes. Their bodies are transforming, their appetite, their tastes, their cravings. They look with envy at their classmate, Rami, who has everything they wish for.
The plan is dangerous and fun, but responsibilities are around the corner. None of them has imagined the consequences of their doing, a big tragedy awaits along a big techno party.
Director’s Profile
Leila is a Lebanese filmmaker and photographer currently based between Beirut and Prague. She holds a BA in Audiovisual Arts from IESAV in Beirut, and an MFA in Film Directing at FAMU. Through her work, she explores the themes of society, youth, womanhood, and identity. Her second-year FAMU short documentary The Adam Basma Project was short-listed for the 48th annual Student Academy Awards (the Student Oscars) after touring various international documentary film festivals. Her graduation film Sea Salt was selected to premiere at the 80th La Biennale Venice International Film Festival in the official Orizzonti Short Film Competition. Leila is currently developing also her feature documentary Dance with me, winner of the Robert Bosch Stiftung development award.
Company Profile
OTHER STORIES is an emerging production company based in Prague, founded in 2021 by producer Natália Pavlove. Our focus is on ambitious projects, particularly those by debut and female filmmakers. With a focus on contemporary social and personal themes, Other Stories aims to create globally resonant content that speaks to today’s audience. Our focus lies in identifying projects with the potential for co-production and significant international appeal.
We are currently working with a variety of partners in Europe, however we place a special emphasis on international co-productions with partners in the Middle East and Africa. With our projects, we regularly get selected at festivals and industry pitches, markets & training programs – such as Berlinale Co-Production Market, EURODOC, East Doc Platform Prague, Atlas Workshops at Marrakech IFF, or European Short Pitch. The last production of Other Stories is a short film Sea Salt in Czech-Lebanese-Qatari co-production which premiered at the Venice Biennale IFF 2023 at the Official Orizzonti Competition.