Beirut Film Society is a Non-for Profit Lebanese organization situated in Beirut, working since 2007 on promoting for “responsible filmmaking”, and officially registered under the decree 2682 on December 7, 2017.
Beirut Film Society’s vision is to:
· Transform Lebanon into the hub of the film industry in the Arab Middle East region, under the title of “Film Friendly Lebanon”; with the aim to reach "Film Induced Tourism"
· Become the association of choice in leading the Lebanese film industry for national and international stakeholders.
· Become the main provider of high level of personalized support for Lebanese artists and filmmakers.
· Foresee the changing needs in the film space in Lebanon and develop needed programs to reach the long-term related objectives.
· Empower freedom of expression in arts, and develop social understanding for accepting the different other, free choice, and for rejecting censorship.
Beirut Film Society works on introducing cinema culture as an educative tool to human rights and ethics; and on spreading the Lebanese culture though cinema when and where possible.
Our mission comprises improving the filmmaking industry, empowering and supporting talents and creativity, reinforcing the concept of “responsible filmmaking”, and above all staying committed to its social responsibility in Lebanon and the Arab world, and far beyond.
BFS aims to shape the future of the film industry, by presenting Lebanon as a diverse filming location, and by providing data about film personnel, and other needed filming logistics, to the international companies and filmmakers in order to help them produce high quality audiovisual and film content.
Our responsibility toward society and external stakeholders is governed by protecting values such as: Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Choice, Gender Equality, Diversity, Peace, Justice, and respect for all Human Rights.
Our internal human practices are centered on encouraging Innovation, developing Leadership, Shared Governance, and Excellence.
BFS Internal governance and policies are based on Transparency, Integrity, and Accountability.
BFS seeks to achieve sustainable development goals, mainly those related directly to the core of our mission; SDG 4 Quality Education, SDG 5 Gender Equality, SDG 8 Good Jobs and Economic Growth, SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 13 Climate Action, SDG 16 Peace and Justice and SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals.
As part of BFS objectives, we promote for “Cinema for a Cause” and for “Responsible Filmmaking”, and we work of raising awareness among youth about social issues through cinema, such as Gender Equality, Women Causes, Children Rights, and Peace Building, through organizing cinema activities, such as: film screenings, training sessions, seminars, workshops, networking events.
BFS also functions as a networking hub among Lebanese and international filmmakers, film associations and other cinema-oriented entities around the world. It created an umbrella that brought together young local and international filmmakers who share the same mission and objectives; and it got a recognized status on the international sphere through programming films for international film festivals and organizing special programs where possible.
BFS believes in the power of cinema and audio visual in making change; we want to educate the young, in Lebanon in general and in rural societies in particular, on how to use those tools to express themselves and to seek change.