I'll never forget the first time I saw West Beirut.
The award winning, internationally acclaimed Ziad Doueiri film was released in 1998, a mere 8 years after the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990) ended and at a time when discussing what went on during the 15 years of bloodshed was still considered a taboo.
The film tells Tarek and Omar's coming of age story. They are two teenagers whose lives change at the break of the Lebanese civil war in 1975. As war rages and Beirut is divided into Muslim and Christian districts, schools close down, chaos ensues and many want to leave, including Tarek's mother, but his father is adamant on staying.
As the teenage friends continue to seek adventure, Tarek spends time with May, his Christian neighbor and ventures into a brothel in Zaytouneh where he meets the infamous Oum Walid. But as the fighting continues, more is at stake than ever before, and the teenagers begin to realize that life as they know it, no longer exists.
As striking as that is, it still isn't all there is to West Beirut.
Because as the film weaves together the stories of lives interrupted by war, it creates unforgettable characters whose words and feelings resonate with viewers.
This is why each and every one of them is memorable, even those who appear for a few minutes, actually, especially those who do.
And this is why Oum Walid left such a mark on us.
Played by the late Laila Karam, "the character of Oum Walid is based on a true character that was in Beirut, somewhat similar to the character portrayed in the film," according to filmmaker Ziad Doueiri, who spoke to StepFeed.
Doueiri stressed that the film is fictional but draws inspiration from people who existed in the city.
"It's a fictional film, that means we as authors, dramatize certain things to increase drama," he said.
In the film, Oum Walid is the legendary madam of a well known brothel in Zaytouneh. She speaks to Tarek in two different short scenes and says some very Lebanese things.
Things that still make sense to us 19 years after she said them in the film; things we all still want to say: