Rent Capernaum (2018)

Compelling piece of angry social realism - Capernaum review by PD

Nadine Labaki’s film is a truly astonishing piece of stark social realism generally told (apart from some pieces of rather irritating syrupy strings) without sentimentality. Set in Beirut, it starts off with the audacious (and admittedly rather dubious) premise of a young boy who's suing his parents for having him, and over the course of its two hours, by following the point of view of her young protagonist Zain, Labaki successfully articulates the impossibility of the lives that were bestowed upon him and other children he meets.

The title takes its name from the ancient fishing town of Capernaum, which in turn became the namesake for a word meaning 'disorderly accumulation of objects' or, simply, 'chaos'; and in the slums that Labaki’s characters inhabit, people, especially children, come to be a part of that disorderly accumulation as well. When the film opens, Zain (the incredible Zain Alrafeea), who guesses he’s 12 but whose stunted body looks much younger, is being taken out of prison to face his parents in court. He has a lawyer, and even though he’s already stood trial for a stabbing (the details of which we’ll come to learn) he's now the plaintiff: here to make the case that his very birth was a crime of neglect. Alrafeea is a startling, unforgettable presence, and his anger at the various cruelties and injustices around him surely mirror the director's - it's a very angry film. From the courtroom, we flash back to the series of unfortunate events that landed Zain in prison, starting with the heartbreak of seeing his 11-year-old sister Sahar sold off to be the bride of a grown man for a few chickens. It’s a devastating sequence, and 15 minutes into the film, we’re already sufficiently annoyed to wish for a life sentence for Zain’s parents. Much of the remainder of the film charts the developing relationship between Zain and Yonas, the baby boy of Rahil, an Ethiopian immigrant, and as their situation goes steadily from bad to worse, the film sometimes feels at risk of buckling under the weight of its own suffering, but is ultimately saved by the director's empathy for those lives attempting to survive in such squalor.

There's a touch of melodrama at times and some somewhat implausible sequences, but the sheer emotional force of 'Capernaum' makes this compelling viewing.

Touching - Capernaum review by jM

A very touching portrayal of what life is like for refugees in Lebanon. While the dialogue is spare, the acting is outstanding, in particular the young boy who struggles valiantly to deal with impossible circumstances. His relationship with the toddler, whose reactions are completely natural and must have required many hours of patient camera-work to capture, is moving and almost heroical.

Why did the little boy sue his parents? - Capernaum review by AB

Eleven year old Zain, who lives in Beirut, decides to sue his parents. Watch the film and you will found out why. It is a heart-rending tale of poverty, immigrants, and the daily struggle to survive. Zain shows compassion, courage and creativity when he finds himself looking after an adorable toddler, with no help whatsoever. A tough but rewarding watch. Subtitled.