The Lebanese Burger Mafia

Name: The Lebanese Burger Mafia
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2023
Duration: 103 min

Director: Omar Mouallem

Rights:

Highlights

World premiered at Hot Docs Festival, Canada
Partially adapted from WILL THE REAL BURGER BARON PLEASE STAND UP? — Omar Mouallem’s quirky 2013 investigation into the chain's mysterious origins, which went viral and won one of Alberta’s top journalism awards
Nominated for three Rosies by the Alberta Media Production Industries Association

2023/ Canada103 min/ Comedy

SYNOPSIS

The Lebanese Burger Mafia captures the trials and tribulations of Arab Canadians that manifest through Burger Baron — a rogue fast-food chain that operates like a dysfunctional mob.
To unearth the restaurant’s mysterious origins, writer and director Omar Mouallem — who is the heir to the Burger Baron throne — travels to these small-town diners.
Along the way, he meets dozens of Lebanese families like his own who uplifted their communities with the restaurant’s trade secrets, all while squabbling over the trademark rights to a company none of them created.

CREW

Director/Writer: Omar Mouallem DOP: Moh Mahfouz Editor: Sarah Taylor

Production Company(ies)

Back Road Productions

Producer(s)

Omar Mouallem, Dylan Rhys Howard

Hot Docs Festival, Canada

Rotterdam Arab Film Festival, the Netherlands

Toronto Arab Film Festival, Canada

Calgary International Film Festival, Canada

Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, Canada

Northwest International Documentary Festival, Canada

Second place Honorable Mention for Best Feature Film at the Toronto Arab Film Festival

Two audience choice awards for Best Documentary and Best Alberta Documentary at the Northwest International Documentary Festival

Reviews

Shireen Ahmed — CBC

Marc Glassman — POV Magazine

John Corrado — The joy of Movies

Andrew Parker — The Gate

Vickie — Movie Pie

Quotes

“A brilliant piece of storytelling that weaves in community politics, business practices, and secret recipes for a storied mushroom sauce.”
Shireen Ahmed — CBC

“THE LEBANESE BURGER MAFIA is a funny excursion into the joys of franchising and the random possibility of achieving success in something completely different as an immigrant in Canada.”
Marc Glassman — POV Magazine

“An enjoyable look at the history of Burger Baron”
John Corrado — The joy of Movies

“The amusing, cheekily titled, and disarmingly complex documentary The Lebanese Burger Mafia is a satisfyingly full meal.”
Andrew Parker — The Gate

“This is the kind of fun, lighthearted-yet-still-fascinating documentary I love finding at Hot Docs, and not just because it’s a wonderful counterweight to the comparatively heavy and heartbreaking fare that can sometimes overwhelm one as a festgoer.”
Vickie — Movie Pie