Brothels in Beirut

Lucien Le Saint / France / 1919 / 2 min.

synopsis

Brothels in Beirut, Lebanon, November 21-25, 1919 
The film depicts prostitutes and soldiers of the French army (Lebanese and French) standing in front of brothels. The operators were on mission to the Middle East, Lebanon and Israel from 14 November 1919 to 4 January 1920.

Frédéric Gadmer (photographer for this mission) and Lucien Le Saint (cinematographer) boarded the cruiser Waldeck-Rousseau in Toulon on 14 November 1919. They accompanied General Gouraud on his journey to Beirut, where he took up the post of High Commissioner for Syria and Cilicia. Having arrived in Beirut on 23 November, they covered the investiture ceremony and travelled with the general to Cilicia (December 10–12), Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, where a Christmas Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Dubois. Back in Beirut, they left for Marseille on 4 January. Fesnault, an operator working for Gaumont, and journalist Albert Londres were also part of the mission.