TRAMONTANE

Rabih, a young blind man, lives in a small village in Lebanon. He sings in a choir and edits Braille documents for an income. His life unravels when he tries to apply for a passport and discovers that his identification card, which he has carried his entire life, is a forgery. Traveling across rural Lebanon in search of a record of his own birth, he meets people on the far fringes of society who tell their own stories, open further questions and give Rabih minor clues about his true identity. Descending into a void at the heart of his existence, Rabih encounters a nation incapable of telling his or its own narrative.

“Many of the locations where we shot Tramontane were remote villages in Lebanon. The instability in some parts of the country raised some difficulties. But, without exception, every person on the crew brought good humor to the set and even the most difficult times were met with convivial collaboration. Our work together was very gratifying because we faced every challenge together and every difficulty seemed secondary because we shared a common goal. Preparedness and faith in the project bonded the team and provided us the stamina to make the film.“

Vatche Boulghourjian for FilmmakerMagazine.com