12 Angry Lebanese: The Documentary

For nearly a year and a half, 45 prison inmates in Lebanon’s largest prison found themselves working together to present their version of Reginald Rose’s play 12 Angry Men, which they rename 12 Angry Lebanese. A theatre director who specializes in working with disadvantaged and traumatized people, Zeina Daccache is a powerhouse. Revealing the tremendous dignity and despair of the prisoners, her inspired theatre project changes their lives—offering a transformative experience for the audience that encourages the staff of the prison to reconsider the potential of their inmates. The drama therapy sessions, the interviews with the inmates, and the interaction with both Daccache and the audience convey an extraordinary message of trust, forgiveness, and change, as Daccache exposes the complex layers of each actor’s personality as well as the remarkable evolution they experience as a group.

Presented in partnership with Alwan for the Arts and ArteEast, who will include the film in their international Lebanese Cinema tour: Chronicles of a Paradise Lost.