‘In the Shadow of Beirut’ Director Stephen Gerard Kelly On His Searing Documentary [VIDEO]

Ireland’s International Oscar submission–and Documentary Feature hopeful–is the heartbreaking yet hopeful, In the Shadow of Beirut, directed by Stephen Gerard Kelly and Garry Keane. The doc follows four families currently living in the poverty-stricken Sabra and Shantila neighborhoods of Beirut in Lebanon, with particular focus on the children simply trying to survive. This is a region where civilians have been slaughtered and those that lived have been forgotten. In 2020, hundreds of residents were killed, and thousands injured, in the Beirut port explosion, because of government negligence.

The film is executive produced by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton, which in this case means, they provided limited financial support–only.

First time filmmaker Kelly (who was also the DP) was raised in Ireland and spent five years living amongst these people in Beirut, building trust and then documenting what he saw. Anyone wanting to contribute directly to the families in the film may visit this site.

Awards Daily spoke candidly with Kelly about the film.