I’ve always thought of Beirut—with the cliffs framing it, the rocks at its feet, and the horizon somewhere behind high-rise buildings—as a place of distinct colors: weathered beige, pale blue, and flecks of bright shades that speak of habitation. The movement of its people acts as both caretaker and animator of this palette. Throughout Lebanese history, these colors have managed to survive within the tragic, recurring imagery of urban destruction as it has circulated in the news, ever since I remember watching the footage of the August 2020 explosion.
This catastrophic incident, the largest non-nuclear blast in history, is the departure point of Dream of Another Summer. Set in what feels like the afternoon after the explosion, this film captures an extended moment where life is sustained, amid tremors and shock, catching its breath as if recovering strength for the next blow.
Director Irene Bartolomé (Barcelona-born, Beirut-based) stands behind the camera, aligning her position with that of Alicia, who just arrived in the city. We hear about Alicia primarily through voicemails friends and colleagues leave for her, while we see the spaces she inhabits. A still camera faces windows, balconies, and streets, observing movement and time almost with caution. The sunlight and the shadows it casts are wonderful; together they compose a tender and delicate take on a moment in Beirut.
In alternating shots, the camera stands still in front of an open window or watches from across the street. Behind it, we feel Alicia (a proxy for the city) breathing, as she lifts her gaze to the city, to herself, like an ominous last glance before violence resumes. What Bartolomé frames as a suspended moment in the aftermath of the explosion gains an unsettling temporal relevance, with the renewed threat of destruction. The chronic tension between Lebanon and Israel is weighing on the city once again, and Alicia might not have known, but Bartolomé most likely foresaw it.
Alicia gains a voice through phone calls with a friend, a damage assessor working on the wounded grain silos located next to the port of Beirut, as she tries to piece together the future and some hope. Her agonizing thoughts about a sinister future are palpable. Dream of Another Summer is crafted with artistic symmetry, a sensitivity reminiscent of Chantal Akerman‘s work, and (regrettably) harrowing relevance. The world premiere of this documentary echoes the reality behind news headlines of the past weeks and calls for immediate renegotiation of a present that signals dreadful consequences to come.
★★★★★
Following its world premiere at the 2026 Copenhagen Documentary Film Festival, in the Next:Wave Competition and Audience Award sections, Dream of Another Summer was screened at the 2026 Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival.
Dream of Another Summer, 70′ / Dir: Irene Bartolomé / Cinematographer: Pôl Seif / Editor: Sandra Fatté / Sound: Philippe Ciompi / Music: Kinda Hassan / Producers: Pere Marzo, Elie Kamal & Irene Bartolomé / Spain, Lebanon
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