When Lebanon was rocked by a massive explosion at the port of Beirut, filmmaker Mounia Akl came face-to-face with chaos -- and the power of art to create some sense of order. In this poetic, moving talk, Akl shares the story of how she and her crew finished their film as the city recovered from disaster, discovering the truth that comes out of us in times of crisis and creating a new understanding of home in the process.

How film captures the space between hope and despair

After a devastating explosion in Beirut destroyed half the city and left homes in ruins, the creative process became a source of resilience and meaning. Making a film in the aftermath of disaster offered a way to reclaim agency and forge connection, even as grief and uncertainty lingered. For many, true belonging emerges not from a place, but from shared acts of creation and vulnerability. In the spaces between hope and despair, art can help define a new sense of home.