Filmmaker Statement

ABOU KEES is an experimental film that uses a mix of live action footages, images, 3D renders and sounds to tell a story. The story talks about growing up and the loss of childhood: the loss of novelty and imagination in the process of becoming a rigid adult that overthinks anxiously. The film is based on Issa’s personal experiences in Lebanon following his parents’ experiences of civil war and the way that affected his upbringing. ABOU KEES is an experimental homage to the importance of childhood and the necessity of play in all stages of life, which led the filmmaker to experiment and play with the various filmmaking components.