West Beirut (1998): Cast & Plot
West Beirut is a 1998 comedy drama directed by Ziad Doueiri, starring Rami Doueiri as Tarek, Mohammad Chamas and Rola Al Amin. It runs 1 hour 45 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 45m (105 min)
- Director
- Ziad Doueiri
- Original language
-
Arabic - Studio
- RTBF
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is West Beirut About?
The premise of West Beirut without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Growing up is only half the battle. In 1975, as the Lebanese civil war erupts, childhood friends Tarek and Omar find their lives shattered by the conflict. When they attempt to cross the city’s dividing line from West to East—where Muslim and Christian neighborhoods meet—their loyalties and survival are tested amid escalating violence.
West Beirut Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- erection
- reference to muhammad
- arabic speaker
- school
- super 8
- white flag
- high school
- civil war
- brothel
- christian
- underwear
- violence
+38 more Show fewer
- friend
- cardinal direction in title
- place name in title
- physics
- medicine
- nescafe
- blood clot
- technician
- technology
- short sleeves
- prohibited behavior
- movie theater
- theater
- reference to oum kalthoum
- french school
- battery
- whiskey
- flare
- dog
- lamb
- holy moly macaroni
- banishment
- censorship
- reference to satan
- veil
- hawken hunter rifle
- bullhorn
- arcade
- captain
- holiday inn
- pepsi cola
- nun
- reference to bachir gemayel
- reference to yasser arafat
- baker
- lawyer
- butcher
- bong
West Beirut Cast & Characters
Rami Doueiri leads the cast as Tarek, with Mohammad Chamas as Omar and Rola Al Amin as May. Directed by Ziad Doueiri; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Ziad Doueiri
- Rami Doueiri as Tarek
- Mohammad Chamas as Omar
- Rola Al Amin as May
- Hassan Farhat as Militiaman Zeytouni
Also Starring in West Beirut
· 6 more- Leila Karam Oum Walid
- Fadi Abi Samra Darwiche
- Carmen Lebbos Hala
- Liliane Nemri Nahida
- Joseph Bou Nassar Riad
- Mahmoud Mabsout Hassan
More from Ziad Doueiri
More films directed by Ziad Doueiri, best-rated first: The Insult, The Attack and Lila Says.
West Beirut Plot Summary
What happens in West Beirut from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Tarek is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of Lebanon’s brutal civil conflict that erupts in April 1975. A young boy from West Beirut, he witnesses a massacre of Palestinians carried out by the Phalangists, an event that brutally frames his worldview and the world around him. As the war deepens, Beirut is carved into two distinct zones: West Beirut, where Muslims predominately live, and East Beirut, with a strong Christian presence. The new dividing line makes everyday life perilous and movement between the halves of the city nearly impossible, forcing Tarek and his peers to navigate a city reshaped by fear, suspicion, and shifting loyalties.
Full summary
The whole story of West Beirut, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know West Beirut?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
In which year does the Lebanese civil war erupt at the start of the story?
West Beirut Also Known As
11 alternative titles, including “West Beyrouth (À l'abri les enfants)” and “بيروت الغربية”.
- Also known as
-
- West Beyrouth (À l'abri les enfants)
- بيروت الغربية
- Länsi-Beirut
- Die Kinder von Beirut
- Beyrouth Al Gharbiyya
- Zachodni Bejrut
- Западный Бейрут
- Medan Beirut brann
- Batı Beyrut
- Západní Bejrút
- À l'abri les enfants
Seen West Beirut?
Movies Like West Beirut
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Beirut, Oh Beirut, Beirut Phantom and Once Upon a Time in Beirut.
West Beirut FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of West Beirut, each answered in a sentence.
How long is West Beirut?
West Beirut runs 1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes).
When was West Beirut released?
West Beirut was released on May 13, 1998.
Who directed West Beirut?
West Beirut was directed by Ziad Doueiri.
More films by Ziad Doueiri Who is in the cast of West Beirut?
West Beirut stars Rami Doueiri as Tarek, Mohammad Chamas as Omar and Rola Al Amin as May, among 10 credited actors.
Does West Beirut have a post-credit scene?
No. West Beirut has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is West Beirut in?
The original language of West Beirut is Arabic.
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