Riverbed

'Riverbed' is a Lebanese film directed by Bassem Breche, which won the Golden Palm Tree, the award for Best Cinematography (Nadim Saoma) and Best Score (Sharif Senhaoui) at the 38th edition of Mostra de València-Cinema del Mediterrani.

The plot of 'Riverbed' narrates the reunion between a mother and a daughter at the moment in which the latter returns home, after several years without maintaining contact, while addresses her own pregnancy and a divorce. Their lives collide and become wedged between the mother's lonely routine and the approach between the two to try to get their family relationship back on track.

This film explains in an unexpected way a story about being a woman, motherhood and its rejection within social constructs. In addition, it makes a key treatment of the topic of abortion, taboo in Arab countries, through which Breche speaks about the silence "imposed by culture" among women in Lebanon.

The main actresses are Omaya Malaeb, in her feature film debut in the role of the daughter, and Carol Abboud ('Djinn', 'Martyr') giving life to her mother, both breaking stereotypes in a film that has women as clear protagonists. The music is provided by Sharif Sehnaoui and Nadim Saoma has directed the photography with a script by Breche and Ghassan Salhab.