The Lebanese documentary *And the Fish Fly Above Our Heads* premiered in Cairo last Friday at Zawya cinema, as part of the Between Women Filmmakers Caravan. Directed by Nadine Dima Al-Horr, the film offers a contemplative portrayal of Beirut and its residents in the wake of ongoing turmoil, including the US-Israel conflict with Iran and Israeli bombings in Lebanon. Although completed in 2025, the film captures multiple layers of time and trauma that continue to affect the city’s inhabitants.

Spanning 70 minutes, the documentary centers on three men—Reda, Adel, and Qassem—whose lives illustrate Beirut’s fragility and endurance. Reda, a man likely in his sixties, is shown walking two hours daily from his home to the Mediterranean seashore, maintaining a routine he has sustained for two decades. This habitual pilgrimage serves as a contemplative frame around which much of the film unfolds. Al-Horr’s camera follows Reda swimming in the sea, highlighting the complex emotions he associates with it—ranging from affection to resentment, especially given the Mediterranean’s deadly role for thousands attempting to migrate to Europe.

Adel, a hospital cleaner, leads a life marked by routine and the chaos imposed by nearby bombardments, treating an influx of injured civilians. His brief reprieve comes on days off when he joins Reda and others for swimming, finding solace in the sea. Adel and Reda have sustained a two-decade-long friendship anchored in their shared search for tranquility amid ongoing instability.

Qassem, distinct from his companions, is a survivor of the devastating 2020 Beirut port explosion and lives with conservative family constraints imposed by religious and social traditions. Though he does not share the others' emotional attachment to the sea, he swims regularly as a form of physical therapy for a longstanding leg injury.

In a post-screening online discussion moderated by Lebanon Caravan Coordinator Jocelyne Abi Gebrayel and founding director Amal Ramsis, Al-Horr explained her creative approach to the film. Unable to leave Beirut, she crafted the documentary to blend personal narratives from different times, weaving the protagonists’ memories with her own reflections. The title references a recurring dream of Reda’s in which time reverses and the sea appears upside down—a motif visually represented through experimental cinematography.

Al-Horr stressed the importance of trust in accessing the protagonists’ stories, noting her longstanding relationship with Reda gave the men confidence and a sense of respect. She described her solitary filming method—without assistants—fostering an intimate atmosphere conducive to candid storytelling.

The film also situates the viewer in Beirut’s evolving landscape, tracing Reda’s path past the bullet-scarred Holiday Inn hotel, a symbol of the city’s conflict-ridden history. Al-Horr’s work underscores the endurance of its residents, the passage of time, and the continued shadows of Lebanon’s turbulent past.

Nadine Dima Al-Horr, an established filmmaker and screenwriter, made her feature debut in 2009 with *Change Jour est une Fête* (*Everyday is a Holiday*), which garnered recognition at the Carthage Film Festival. She currently teaches documentary filmmaking in France and has directed numerous shorts exploring various social themes.

The screening was held under the auspices of the Between Women Filmmakers Caravan, an initiative started in 2008 by Egyptian female filmmakers to promote women’s cinematic voices through alternative screening platforms across the Arab world, Europe, and Latin America.