DUBAI: Lebanese Director Nadine Labaki’s heart-breaking drama, “Capharnaüm,” is going from strength to strength, having won big in Cannes last week, but it’s not the only piece of cinematic history to be set in Lebanon. If you're truly the arty type, you would not let a language barrier get in the way so stick on the subtitles, or find someone who is willing to translate, and enjoy!
‘West Beirut’ (1998)
Ziad Doueiri’s hit received heaps of praise following its release. The plot follows a group of youths navigating around the struggles that erupted following the start of the 1975 Lebanese Civil War in a wonderfully balanced comedic and dramatic narrative.
‘Caramel’ (2007)
Directed by Nadine Labaki, the film follows the lives of five Lebanese women as they face the everyday problems that haunt them. It’s a fun break away from the usual politically charged films set in the country.
‘Very Big Shot’ (2015)
“Film Kteer Kbir” in Arabic, this flick follows the efforts of a minor drug dealer and his brothers from a working-class area of Beirut as they try to pull off the biggest drug smuggle of their careers by moving the goods through a fake film set. Think “Argo” meets “Scarface” — sort of.
‘The Insult’ (2017)
Lebanon’s first nomination at the Academy Awards was Ziad Doueiri’s “The Insult” in 2018. It follows a court case between a Christian Lebanese man and a Muslim Palestinian refugee after an altercation between the two.
‘Ghadi’ (2013)
Written by famous Lebanese comedy actor Georges Khabbaz, “Ghadi” follows the story of how the family of a young child with special needs tricks their village into thinking he’s an angel after the town seeks to evict him.
‘Zozo’ (2005)
Zozo takes place against the backdrop of the 1975 Lebanese Civil War. As citizens flee the country and its dangers, a Lebanese boy gets separated from his family and ends up in Sweden. The film draws inspiration from director Josef Fares’ own experience fleeing the war.
