Ghadi, Bébé, Rabih, and By Chance: Disability as a Narrative Device in Lebanese Cinema (2010–2019)
Résumé
Disability is not a subject that is often covered in contemporary Lebanese cinema, despite a few initiatives taking place in the past decade. This article analyses the representations of characters with disabilities in four Lebanese films: Ghadi (2013), Bébé (2013), Rabih or Tramontane (2016), and By Chance or Bel Sodfé (2019). The study reveals that these films oscillate between critiquing societal norms and state policies, covering the disability from a medical standpoint, and normalizing disability. Additionally, the films underscore the significant role played by families in caring for disabled individuals in Lebanon. The study also highlights how the portrayal of disability was exaggerated when played by able-bodied actors but was more understated and sometimes excessively normalized when the actors had real-life disabilities. Finally, the article argues that taking intersectional identity into account can lead to more nuanced and diverse conclusions about the representation of disability in Lebanese cinema.
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