Metropolis Cinema’s new chapter with Joana Hadjithomas

On Saturday, December 21, Metropolis Cinema opens its new venue in Mar Mikhael, Beirut.

Metropolis Cinema is a Lebanese cultural association dedicated to promoting cinema, particularly among young audiences. It was founded in 2006 and launched in Hamra just before the outbreak of the Israeli war in Lebanon, during which its space was transformed into a shelter for displaced families. Films were shown to children as a way to keep them safe indoors. Despite challenges, including the economic crisis that led to the closure of its original venue, Empire Sofil, Metropolis has persevered.

It recently reopened in a new prefabricated structure in Mar Mikhael, designed by architect Sophie Khayat to function as a cinema and adapt to diverse weather conditions. After five years without a permanent home, Metropolis is now embarking on a fresh chapter with new projects, reaffirming its mission to foster the collective cinematic experience in a region marked by adversity.

Joana Hadjithomas, Lebanese visual artist, filmmaker, and 2023 AFIELD Peer, serves as an executive member of Cinémathèque Beirut. This visionary project, part of the remarkable Metropolis association, is dedicated to preserving Lebanon’s cinematic heritage and nurturing future voices in film.⁠