Beirut Dreams in Color (Outstanding Short Documentary - News and Documentary Emmy Awards 2023) is a The Guardian documentary exploring the story of Mashrou' Leila and the queer movement in the Middle East. Once known for sold-out performances, the band’s trajectory shifted dramatically following their 2017 Cairo concert, setting off a profound and challenging chain of events.
Shot on the Canon C300 across Beirut, New York, and San Francisco, director Michael Collins partnered with RAVEL for the final colour grade and audio mix on the 28-minute film. With much of the footage captured in low-light environments, the post-production process involved detailed denoising and careful image refinement to preserve tone and texture.
The documentary made its Australian premiere at Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival and is now available to stream via Guardian Documentaries. We’re proud to have contributed to bringing this powerful story to a global audience.
