We Are Inside

An intimate dialogue between a daughter and her father, an 83-year-old Lebanese poet at the end of his life. The participatory film raises essential questions about the relevance of art in times of crisis: must poetry be political, or can it retain its power in traditional forms? In attempting to connect with her father through writing, the filmmaker also opens a debate on conservative creation — based on rhyme and strict rules — versus free, prosaic expression. Visually, the documentary alternates between long, sober shots of the father’s apartment and images of the streets of Lebanon seen through windows, creating a subtle parallel between interior and exterior, art and politics, intimacy and collective history.