Lebanese Director Karim Kassem Tackles Migration and Water Crises in 'Pipes,' Premiering at Karlovy Vary

Lebanese filmmaker Karim Kassem continues to defy the odds of working in a region marked by political turbulence, premiering his fifth film in as many years at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. "Pipes," selected for the festival's Crystal Globe Competition, builds on the director's growing reputation as one of the most productive voices in Middle Eastern and North African cinema, following the acclaim of his IDFA-winning "Octopus."

The film follows Hassan, a retired water authority employee played by Ghassan Saad, who cannot stop helping his neighbors in a small Lebanese village. Hassan's inability to refuse requests leaves him little room to grieve a close friend's recent death — a loss that takes on darker dimensions when evidence suggests the death may not have been accidental.

From Supporting Character to Center Stage

"Pipes" emerged from audience demand. Kassem says viewers of his 2024 drama "Moondove" repeatedly contacted him, asking for more of Hassan's story. The director had already been considering a return to the village and a reunion with Saad, making the spinoff a natural progression.

Kassem highlights the uniqueness of casting non-actors from an actual village, saying he had never seen a fiction film emerge from such a setting with an ensemble of villagers. Hassan's character — constantly moving through the community by car — provided a vehicle for exploration, and the director was drawn to the humor embedded in his world.

Water, Migration, and the Unseen Cost of Conflict

Beyond its character study, "Pipes" delves into the daily struggles of the village, particularly water scarcity and the precarious lives of migrant workers. Hassan's deceased friend in the film is a migrant laborer, and the narrative examines how such disappearances go unnoticed and uninvestigated because the victims are migrants.

Kassem approaches these themes with characteristic subtlety. While he acknowledges that political filmmaking is not his area of expertise, his background in philosophical studies leads him to ask weighty questions — such as the meaning of life — through indirect paths. Growing up with a father who worked as a news producer, and having worked in news himself, Kassem says the constant presence of conflict in Lebanon made it impossible to ignore the realities surrounding him.

His last two films have centered on water, a subject he gravitated toward as war encircled his home. He notes that water has historically driven human conflict and points to ongoing invasions and ethnic cleansing as being fundamentally tied to control over the resource. Many people suffer the consequences of war, he observes, yet the full picture often remains hidden from view.

A Prolific Pace Fueled by MENA Funding

Sustaining five films in five years in a region fraught with production challenges is no small feat. Kassem attributes his output to determination, technical expertise, and a dual role as cinematographer and writer-producer. By understanding costs at the writing stage, he keeps productions lean.

His strategy involves minimizing development and production expenses while relying on post-production funding — the most reliable form of support, since juries evaluate a finished film rather than a concept. Consistent backing from MENA-based funds, particularly the Doha Film Institute, has been essential. Kassem notes that European funding cycles, which can take eight months just for pre-selection, would have made his pace impossible.

The director calls for more regional funds to open, urging them to prioritize local talent over broadening their scope. Many deserving filmmakers in the region remain unfunded, he says, and he does not wish to be the exception.

As "Pipes" makes its world premiere at one of Central Europe's most esteemed festivals, Kassem's approach — intimate, village-rooted storytelling that quietly confronts issues of migration, resource scarcity, and loss — offers a lens onto realities often overlooked. Have you seen Kassem's previous work, or are you discovering him for the first time? Share this article and join the conversation about the stories shaping Middle Eastern cinema today.

Source: Variety