Are You Glad I’m Here
Director: Noor Gharzeddine
Producers: Noor Gharzeddine, Elie Deek
Writer: Samuel Anderson
Cast: Marwa Khalil, Tess Harrison
Are You Glad I'm Here is bilingual drama-comedy about the unlikely friendship between next door neighbors Nadine (Marwa Khalil) and Kirsten (Tess Harrison) as they find their loyalty to each other tested after an accidental crime. Filmed entirely in Lebanon, this film gives us a glimpse of the country rarely seen in the news: of family loyalty, kitchen conversations, and the struggles of marriage. Lebanese-American filmmaker Noor Gharzeddine frames this story of self-discovery and friendship through her uniquely multicultural lens, challenging both the characters and the audience to question their understanding of the two women and of the nature of happiness. Nadine is a vivacious housewife, mercurial and resilient, although years of taking care of a husband sinking into alcoholism have nearly crushed her spirit. Kirsten is a quirky, self-assured post-grad who comes to Beirut armed with a fool-proof understanding of how the world should work and searching for some exotic life experience to feed her literary imagination. But as Kirsten becomes increasingly involved in Nadine’s personal life, tensions begin to simmer — until, one night, they erupt.
2018, PG-13, USA, Drama, English and Arabic, 84 minutes
Florida Premiere
Filmmakers in Attendance
Juried Film
