Shadows of Beirut review: a fractured return to a troubled past
Shadows of Beirut follows Lana, a London-based émigrée who returns to Lebanon to see her dying biological father, from whom she has been estranged for 25 years. The film, partly shot in Beirut and partly on sets in a Bulgarian studio during the Covid-19 pandemic, examines childhood trauma, family secrets and Lana’s strained relationships.
Shadows of Beirut follows Lana, a London-dwelling émigrée who returns to Lebanon to see her dying biological father. She has only negative memories of him, linked to a childhood marked by his alcoholism and violence.
The film was apparently shot during the Covid-19 pandemic, partly in Beirut and partly on sets in a Bulgarian studio. Its fractured editing and restless movement accompany Lana’s distraught mental state and portrayals of Beirut, a city described in the review as shaped by wars and chaotic traffic.
Lana lives in London with her boyfriend, Ben, and her mother. Her relationship with Ben is strained by her obsessive-compulsive disorder, while her pandemic-related fears lead her to wear extensive protective equipment, including an N95 or FFP2 mask and a clear full-face covering.
After returning to Beirut, Lana reconnects with her cousin Rami and befriends Sirine, who helps her during a panic attack at a hospital. She gradually finds the strength to face her father before he dies, confronting family secrets in the process.
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
How much of the film’s fractured form is shaped by its production conditions, and how much is an intentional representation of Lana’s mental state?
What does Lana’s return change for the family members who remained connected to her father?
How does the film distinguish personal trauma from the wider disorder associated with Beirut?
What experiences or conditions are left outside Lana’s account of her childhood?
How might the story differ if Lana had returned without the support of Rami and Sirine?
YOUR QUESTION
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GLOBAL CURIOSITY MAP · AUGUST 2026