The Creative Space on the Big Screen Screening of the CSB documentary at Metropolis Cinema
On September 19, 2025, we had the honor of seeing Pia Brynteson’s and Ramzi Hibri’s documentary The Creative Space screened at Metropolis Cinema as part of the 20th edition of Doc Screens–Écrans du Réel. The film was produced by Service95, the global culture and arts platform founded by Dua Lipa, which amplifies underrepresented voices and stories around the world. To have our story shown on the screen of one of Beirut’s most cherished independent cinemas, in a festival that for two decades has celebrated films that observe, question, and reflect the world around us, was deeply meaningful.
What made this screening especially moving is the way Pia and Ramzi approached the film itself. They weren’t distant observers. For months, they were embedded in our space, witnessing our daily rhythm, students cutting patterns, mentors offering guidance, laughter and frustrations spilling into the studio. Their presence became part of the Creative Space Beirut family, allowing them to capture not just the work, but the intimacy, vulnerability, and the students themselves, all of which define our school.
The documentary reflects this closeness: centering what it means to create and hold a space where people feel safe to learn, to take risks, and to grow. It also depicts CSB during some of Lebanon’s most difficult years, through the 2019 uprisings, the economic collapse, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Beirut port explosion. In all of these moments, CSB stood as a safe haven for its students, and in turn, its students kept it alive, sustaining the spirit of the space and holding on to hope when it seemed there was none.
The making of the film was itself a community endeavor. It was edited by Malek Hosni, with music contributed by friends of CSB Sarah Huneidi and Jad Atoui, further rooting the work in the collective spirit that defines our school.
The film’s point was never just to show a program, but to illuminate how free creative education and a safe, inclusive environment can transform lives. It traces the arcs of our alumni and students as they navigate challenges, find their voices, and begin to shape careers that were once unimaginable to them. Through Pia and Ramzi’s lens, you see the years of persistence, the personal journeys, and the community that has grown around CSB.
The screening was followed by a warm and personal panel conversation with CSB executives Sarah Hermez and Waleed Jarjouhi and alumni Ahmad Amer, Amir Al Kasm, Jihan Azzam, Iftikhar Kanawati, and Mostafa Al Sous. Together, they reflected on what it meant to be part of this journey, how CSB has changed with the times, and the impact of providing education that is both rigorous and free of financial barriers. Their stories reminded us that CSB is more than a school, it is a living community that adapts, supports, and endures.
We are grateful to Metropolis for hosting us, and to everyone who joined and filled the evening with thoughtful exchange and solidarity. It was a moment to celebrate what Creative Space Beirut stands for: empowerment through creativity, and the belief that nurturing talent within a safe space can shape brighter, more connected futures.
You can now watch the full film on our YouTube channel.
