The Puppeteer: A Dialogue Between Control and Surrender

The Puppeteer is a bilingual screenplay that unfolds as an intimate exploration of control, connection, and the human condition. Written by Abboudy Mallah, the story follows two men, William, a businessman confronting mortality, and Jack, a physiotherapist facing the collapse of his marriage, whose intertwined fates unravel questions of choice, destiny, and self-deception. Set between Beirut and Cyprus, the narrative balances humor and heartbreak, offering a poignant meditation on how love and loss shape the fragile architecture of our lives.

Designed by -scope Ateliers, the publication mirrors the screenplay’s duality through its two-sided Arabic and English structure. Each cover, illustrated by Laure Ibrahim, features a large open hand cradling a tiny figure—two gestures that appear to be in conversation across the book’s front and back. This dialogue continues within: a precise typographic system enhances legibility and rhythm, while a central green folio reproduces Mallah’s handwritten notes and sketches, bridging thought and form. The result is a tactile, cinematic object that captures the tension between control and surrender: the heart of The Puppeteer.