‘Sirens’ Sundance 2022 Review – A Fascinating Exploration Of Lebanon’s First All-Female Metal Band

Shery Bechara and Lilas Mayassi appear in Sirens by Rita Baghdadi, an official selection of the World Cinema: Documentary Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Rita Baghdadi.

Metal is often the language of music that individuals are drawn to when simple words will not suffice. It is what comes from bubbling emotions that must be unleashed onto the world – a guttural roar that comes from deep within. For the women in the Beirut-based thrash metal band Slave To Sirens, there are ample reasons to be angry. They stand apart as outsiders in their society; not only is metal not a particularly thriving genre of music in Lebanon or the Middle East in general, but being women in this scene is nearly unfathomable. Yet, the band, consisting of Lilas, Shery, Maya, Alma and Tatyana, are not only pushing back against what is expected, but they are doing so while kicking ass and making a name for themselves. The incredible new documentary, Sirens, from director Rita Baghda traces this pursuit of becoming rock stars against the backdrop of a society on the verge of collapse. 

Slave To Sirens is first seen playing to an enthusiastic scene of Lebanese fans as they head-bang and shred on their guitars with a youthful zeal that instantly captures their appeal. One need not be a fan of the genre to understand they have something special. This may be a five person outfit, but two personalities in particular dominate the narrative arc of their journey. Twenty-three-year-old guitarist Lilas Mayass is one of the only members who reveals their home life. The headstrong young woman lives with her mother who is keen to find her daughter someone she can settle down with. Ever the independent thinker, Lilas is firm in her assertion that she only needs herself. Their relationship is mostly warm with small contentious exchanges. It is understandable, though, why Lilas chooses to hide her interest in girls from this traditional woman. 

Then there is Shery, the enigmatic lead songwriter who first met Lilas at a protest where their creative synergy sparked immediately. The intensity of their musical collaboration extended beyond artistic ambition and into a brief romance that burned bright but was extinguished quickly due to imbalance in interest and commitment. Music appears to take precedence for most members of the band over everything else, but that does not mean that there hasn’t been an underlying tension since the romantic relationship turned platonic and professional. 

The perspective of the band may be fresh but the arc that is traced throughout the documentary is one that anyone with a dream can find relatable. With the world at large slowly discovering the Sirens, an invitation to play the prestigious Glastonbury Festival in England feels like the star-making opportunity that has been right around the corner. The dedication to preparing for this moment cements how seriously each and every one of them take their work, meticulously pouring over concert footage to ensure they are primed for rock supremacy. When their appearance at the festival does not go exactly as they dreamed, frustrations from this disappointment and interpersonal strife not only threatens the recording of their album but the overall existence of the band.

Lilas is at the center of most of this tension, feeling most dejected artistically compounded with the irritation over having to hide her Syrian girlfriend from her mother. Lebanon is one of the more progressive countries in the Middle East, but an opening shot of “Homophobia is a crime” splashed in graffiti across a brick wall shows there is still much work to be done for societal acceptance. Her drinking is also on the rise and the lack of tact in her critiques of Shery’s new songs leads to a reevaluation of the future of the band. The scarcity of women in this scene means that there is not a deep well of talent to find a potential replacement for any of the members. Would any of them be able to capture the specific magic of this configuration? 

One of the most interesting choices Baghda makes in structuring this documentary is how it utilizes the instability of Lebanon within the narrative. There are always glimpses of unrest in the background, but the dramatics of the band take precedence. When something becomes so ever-present, it begins to become routine, and this is exactly how the movie presents what is happening within the country. One of the most memorable moments in the film comes when Lilas and Shery are playfully discussing some adventurous sexual exploits from the prior night out on the street while a swarm of protestors lumber past them in the wake of the Port of Beirut explosion. These two moments could not be more different, but it goes toward putting a human face on an area of the world that is often defined by tragic news coverage for a Western audience. 

Sirens is a definite crowd-pleaser which brings more thematic weight to your typical band-on-the-rise narrative. No matter your genre of choice, the women in Slave To Sirens are a dynamic force that hold your attention both on and off of the stage. At a very spry 78 minutes, you may find yourself wanting more as the journey comes to an end, but if there is any justice, their next documentary will be able to write the story of their global rock domination. 

Sirens had its World Premiere in the World Documentary Competition section of Sundance Film Festival 2022.

Director: Rita Baghda

Rated: NR

Runtime: 78m

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Dillon Gonzales

Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.