The Badaro Complex

It was an intense experience making this film. I grew up through this film. I completely changed as a person. This will be far more than just a debut, this is a part of who I am, who I was, and who I will become. Many films will come, because now I am 100% sure that film is what I want to do with the rest of my life. No matter what.

The journey of making this film was a complete rollercoaster from the writing to the editing. The script alone took the majority of these 2 years, mostly because I had to fail a whole story before landing on the final film.

The project came about because I applied to a cinematography workshop, which ended up being a solo venture between me and the instructor Ghina Abboud. We’d spend each session in the area of Badaro, Beirut for many hours, learning how to make films. Learning how to be honest with yourself while making a film.

After many exercises, Ghina assigned me to make a short film about Badaro, but it had to have a twist. I instantly thought up of the idea that I wanted to make a film following a character that is the embodiment of Badaro.

The original script was about Badaro. A 40-something year old Art Therapist battling intense Savior Complex. (Hence “The Badaro Complex”)

While writing the script, I wasn’t sure how to make a film or what makes a film good.
I trusted the people around me, so I tried to please everyone by combining all the feedback I heard and applied every single one of them.

The script constantly changed, from making Badaro younger to changing the way Adham speaks, to adding new characters and changing the names of previous ones.

Eventually, I got the script at a point that I started on pre-production, so I decided to show the script to my mentor Muriel Aboulrouss.

After I sent the script, she told me that we had to revisit the script. I was asked to print out the script itself, the character study, and my intention behind the film. With all these documents prepared, I patiently waited as the time ticked closer.

In the session, she went on for around 2 hours talking about how shit the script was and that it was far from who I am. It was too superficial, especially for someone as mature as me. It had no point, it was soulless. She will not let me proceed with the film as is. I had to change the script. At the end of the session, while my face was as red as a tomato from embarrassment, she asked me the most important question that I have ever received:
“If you die tomorrow and this was the last film you ever made, would this be the film?”

My immediate answer was no. It proved her point, and she tasked me to go through the script scene-by-scene and scratch the ones I didn’t like. She said I was going to be left with no scenes and would have to make a whole new script.

To some people this might have put them off from making a film ever again, but to me this was a learning opportunity to understand what makes a film great.

After the session, I felt lost once again, I thought that getting the approval of others was the way to understand if my film was good. But in the end, I was doing exactly what my character was doing, which was to please others even if it damages my own process.

I decided that the film will talk about this exactly, the process of how a filmmaker might tackle their first project and how you get lost in trying to perfect your first film, ending up with a film without a soul.

With the new script in hand, I instantly showed Muriel and she pointed out how bold it was of me to include her in the film and said that she wants to act in it herself. She knew no one could recreate that session.

I decided to name this film with the original title as it literally described the process, trying to please others, perhaps a Badaro Complex. I also decided to include key scenes from the original script into this film as an homage to the original script.

This film is a love letter to my own experience that I wouldn’t change for the world. This film was extremely difficult to write, as any intimate and personal piece of artwork tends to be. Writing it was the easiest part, I actually was able to finish it in a single month. The shooting and editing was challenging as I had so many characters and with the war(s) that happened in Lebanon, it made everyone’s schedules extremely unstable, so the footage had to be shot throughout multiple months.

I had to fight my intense procrastination while I was shooting the solo parts, edit, color, and sound design the whole thing. I had shown this project to too many people that it felt getting it done was impossible. Eventually I pushed through and was able to get it to a draft, and eventually the final version.

For now, the film is still in its festival run, so you’ll have to enjoy the trailer only for now. But after its run I do plan to post it on YouTube for everyone to enjoy it.

I am incredibly proud of this film and the fact I can finally showcase it is a dream come true. I have made many friends through this film, I have learned so much that I feel ready to tackle whatever project it is that I have to take on next.

I wanted to take a moment to thank every single person that has helped me achieve my dream of making this film and everyone was incredible at their job which made the process that much easier and raised the bar of quality to a place I wanted. I love you guys.

Starring: Sylvie Hatem – Joey Zakaria – Jude Chamoun – Mohammad Haydar

Critics: Muriel Aboulrouss – Ghina Abboud – Amgad Mabrouk – Wafaa Sheaito – Marielle Fares – Yasmine Sheaito – Luna Dagher – Christine Abou Zein

Director of Photography: Elsy Hajjar
Lighting: Cybele Khoury
Sound Recordist: Tania Kammoun

Writer, Director, Editor: Adam Mabrouk