In a beauty salon in Beirut, clients of all ages rush in to get their Botox injections, while outside its doors, bombings are intensifying.

Bouba, the owner of a Beirut beauty salon, welcomes clients of all ages to receive their Botox injections. Omar Mismar’s film sees in these cosmetic alterations a simple yet effective way to scratch beneath the surface of a city whose own make-up is being transformed – by the barrage of Israel’s aerial attacks. The single-camera set-up captures mundane and funny moments of everyday life, interspersed with conversations ranging from a new TikTok gone viral to recent Israeli attacks on the country. Combining social and political matters with humour and authenticity, A Frown Gone Mad serves as a time capsule of a city attempting to function while under attack. The philosophy of so many is summed up by the wily and wise Bouba: ‘They destroy and we repair.'

Content Guidance: Film contains images of injections and blood.