Director Wissam Charaf finds a fresh and appealing approach to contemporary social issues, using minimalist drama and deadpan humor to depict the endearing love story of Mehdia, an Ethiopian economic migrant/domestic worker and Ahmed, a homeless Syrian refugee. While Mehdia tries to free herself from her grasping employers, Ahmed, who is affected by a mysterious disease, struggles to survive by dealing in second-hand metal scraps. In Beirut, the two lovers have no future, but that also means they have nothing to lose. One day, they take their chance and flee Beirut in a hopeful and desperate attempt to get away. Meanwhile, Ahmed’s physical condition gets worse, slowly turning his body into metal. The film title refers to the types of jobs held by the main characters. To sharpen the contrast between the people and the work, the director cast the most gorgeous actors imaginable as the young lovers. Winner, Label Europa Cinemas, Venice; Audience Award, Entrevues Film Festival. –Alissa Simon
Director Biography
Wissam Charaf is a Lebanese/French filmmaker and journalist based in Paris. He is the director of feature films It's All in Lebanon (2011) and Tombé du ciel (2016). Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous (2022) is his most recent feature.