After Valerio Zurlini’s l’estate violenta (1961), I walked out of cinema Quartier Latin, slowly making my way home to the other side of the river, without forgetting to stop at Amorino’s for a gelato (bacio, café and yogurt), yum. I couldn’t stop thinking about the love story in the movie and how the war (1945) separated them eventually, so bitter sweet. As soon as I walked into my apartment, I see this on my table – a plastic bag from duty free shopping in the airport of Beirut. A friend of mine brought me a gift a few weeks ago from Lebanon, since then the airport is bombed and the whole country is being bombed. This friend could not help but sitting in front of the TV every evening watching news, only bad ones. I manage to cut myself from news and continue live my Parisian life - cinema, Gelati, firemen’s parties, picnics on Ponts des arts, Champagne on my roof top, BBQs in the countryside and motorcycle rides on the river banks … Yet this little plastic bag sitting on my living room table reminds me that it is summer and a violent one indeed!
Few weeks ago, I still thought Beirut would be the destination for my summer vacation this year together with Syrie and Jordan. I am not really afraid of going today, but I just don’t know how to explain to my aging parents about my vacation plans in a war zone.
I think about my friends in Tel Aviv, I wanted to call or write them an email to see how they are and what they think, but I did not. I did not even call my Lebanese friend these past few days, because I don’t know what to say.
When there is no easy solution to long lasting problems like this, and comprehension is totally beyond my capacity, I want to say: Hey, Israeliens, Palestinians, all Jews and Arabs, just come live with the Chinese and we eat roasted ducks together, there is oil in those things. In this country, we have lots of lands, uncultivated lands, choose which ever piece you would like. Take Tibet, it is a very peaceful place; the Himalaya will be high enough to separate your problems. Take Taiwan, the most romantic island with lots of bananas; it is far enough from your home and close enough to the Americans. Take every stone you want and need from the great wall which protected the Chinese for thousands of years and that should help you build your own great wall and protect your family.
L’estate violenta, and I, hate!!!
