On July 25th, the SmartESA accelerator at ESA Business School in Beirut hosted a full day of discussions dedicated to the future of Lebanon’s audiovisual sector. The event was organized by ESA Business School and its accelerator SmartESA, in collaboration with Fondation Liban Cinema and Logical Pictures (France), represented by its president Frédéric Fiore.
The initiative set out to address both the challenges and the opportunities shaping Lebanese cinema today. The global film industry is evolving at unprecedented speed — with new formats, platforms, technologies, and players transforming how films are created, distributed, and consumed. Yet in Lebanon, many professionals continue to face persistent barriers: limited access to funding, lack of visibility, minimal institutional support, and outdated systems.
The day was structured around two dedicated roundtables. The first brought together funders, sponsors, and institutional representatives for an invitation-only discussion on potential strategies and resources to sustain the sector. The second, open to all filmmakers, invited directors, producers, and other industry professionals to share their experiences, exchange perspectives, and explore innovative solutions.
While this meeting was not intended to provide immediate answers, it aimed to create a space for honest dialogue, fresh ideas, and potential collaborations. The conversations held on July 25th were an important step toward imagining a stronger, more resilient creative ecosystem — one that can support talent, infrastructure, and content creation, and open the door to future partnerships that shape Lebanon’s cinematic future.
