DUBAI: The cast of Oscar-nominated film “The Insult” have taken to social media to celebrate the announcement and the fact that this is the first-ever Lebanese film to be nominated for the award.
Director Ziad Doueri’s film made it through to the final five in the Foreign Language Film category of the Academy Awards 2018, up against films from Chile, Russia, Hungary and Sweden.
The stars of the film took to social media late Tuesday to celebrate the achievement.
“Too much joy. Celebrating the Oscar-nominated movie,” actress Rita Hayek, who plays the wife of one of the sparring men in the film, posted on Instagram.
“OSCARS!!!! #TheInsult is GOING TO THE OSCARS!!!” she added in a tweet.
theinsultmovie NOMINATED FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM!!!!!
LEBANON TO THE #OSCARS for the first… https://t.co/S7BFLbLjHw— rita hayek (@ritahayek1) January 23, 2018
“The Insult by Ziad Doueiri is in the Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film!!! Congratulations to The Insult family and to Lebanon,” actress Diamand Abou Abboud posted on her Instagram account.
“The Insult has been officially nominated… for the first time in Lebanese history. #ProudLebanese,” lead actor Adel Karam tweeted.
Official Nominations just announced: “The Insult” has been officially nominated for The Oscar of Best Foreign Movie for the first time in Lebanese History #ProudLebanese pic.twitter.com/qsogTt5b5P
— Adel Karam (@adelkaram9) January 23, 2018
The film, set in Beirut, is about a verbal slanging match between two men that leads to a highly-publicized trial that highlights the ethnic and religious tensions simmering in Lebanese society.
In the movie, Toni, a Lebanese Christian mechanic played by Karam, smashes up repair work which had been done to an illegal pipe on his balcony by the construction crew of Palestinian foreman Yasser, portrayed by Kamel El-Basha.
Soon insults and punches fly, and the two end up in court in a trial.
“Lebanon is a complex place ... I grew up there half of my life and I know it’s always difficult to explain what the problem is,” Doueiri said in an interview with Reuters. “At the end of the day (the film) is about two ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. It’s about justice but it’s about dignity too.”
The 90th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 4 in Los Angeles.
