West Beirut

In April 1975 civil war breaks out in Beirut partitioning it along a Muslim-Christian line. High school student Tarek (Rami Doueiri) thrills at the chaos closing school and making West-East travel a game. With Omar (Mohamad Chamas) he shoots Super 8 films of the tumult and befriends May a Christian orphan in his building. His mother wants to flee but his father refuses. Accidentally Tarek visits a brothel in the Olive Quarter meeting Oum Walid then takes Omar and May using her underwear as a white flag. As he comes of age family tensions rise and war turns from adventure to tragedy.