MAY YOU OUTLIVE US
May You Outlive Us received the Toronto International Film Festival’s’ Every Story People’s Fellowship in 2022. It has been supported by Unifrance and was a 2023 NYU Purple List winner.
SYNOPSIS: Set in Beirut in 2021, one year after a deadly explosion rocked the city, May You Outlive Us follows four women sharing a house as they try to rebuild their lives and navigate their destroyed city.
The film stars Nathalie Issa, who appeared in the Netflix film, The Swimmers, and Julia Kassa (The Insult). It is co-produced by Tabo Tabo Films and Ezekiel Film Production.
WRITTEN & DIRECTED by Isabelle Mecattaf
Based in New York City, French-Lebanese filmmaker Isabelle Mecattaf earned an MFA in filmmaking from NYU. Previously, she studied English literature and philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania, She has filmed in Beirut, New York, Paris, and Los Angeles. Her most recent project, Beity, was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Aspen and Hollyshorts festivals before being purchased by The New Yorker, where it is streaming.
Metcattaf says, “It’s a huge honor to be a part of the slate because of the Lab’s track record of supporting first features out of NYU. More importantly, it creates a bridge for us as we’re transitioning out of school. The slate is more than just a list: it’s a program, the continuance of a community and support as we strive to make our films. For my project specifically, which is a Lebanese feature, the validation of being chosen for the slate means that people outside of the Middle East will also pay attention. The slate champions voices from all around the world and gives us both a stamp of approval and a platform – and that tips the scale significantly.”