MEET TAREK ALMERHI
Tarek Al Merhi is a gifted filmmaker from Lebanon, who never fails to project his creativity visually. Tarek would describe himself as a person who is passionate about art, work, and movement.
Tarek was always creative, as a child, he would sketch, read, and write frequently. "I think this helped shape the person I am today," he says. Also, Tarek always had a deep curiosity about how films were made. The more he researched, the more he realised that he appreciated the steps of filmmaking. His interest in filmmaking began with screenwriting then quickly progressed into directing, after shooting he was introduced to his love for cinematography and photography.
The young filmmaker's upcoming favored piece "Move On" was created in quarantine. It's a self-portrait that touches on the different types of emotions felt during quarantine. Whether it's anger, depression, or boredom, Tarek wanted to exhibit those emotions that many people can relate to. All it took to shoot this project was his Android phone and natural lights. The simplicity of this project is what made it special to him.
According to Tarek, a prominent issue in the creative industry of Lebanon is that many people of power have a superficial business mindset when it comes to films and series. Tarek strives to find an in-between in the industry. He aims to create quality content while still making an income to survive.
During this pandemic, Tarek tackles the struggles he faced. "Things are getting better due to the reopening of the country, however during both quarantine and now, there is little to no work, especially when it comes to films that require a crew, actors, and in-person contact in general. The country is reopening, but currently, the problem is more financial, especially with inflation and lack of investors."
A piece of advice Tarek would give to his younger self would be to make connections and friends at the same time, as well as never giving up. Something we can all take from Tarek is not to make our hardships stop us from creating but rather to use it as a source of inspiration.
