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Capernaum
کفرناحوم
2018 126 min France, Lebanon, United Kingdom, United States of America R 18+
★8.6
Drama
Director: Nadine Labaki
Trailers
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Teaser
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Description
After running away from his negligent parents, committing a violent crime and being sentenced to five years in jail, a hardened, streetwise 12-year-old Lebanese boy sues his parents in protest of the life they have given him.
Budget:
$4M
US Gross:
$1.66M
Worldwide:
$64.98M
Starring
Zain Al Rafeea
Actor
Yordanos Shifera
Actor
Boluwatife Treasure Bankole
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2018
— Jury Prize
Cannes Film Festival 2018
— Ecumenical Jury Prize
Golden Globe 2019
— Best International Feature Film
BAFTA 2019
— Best International Feature Film
César Awards 2019
— Best International Feature Film
Academy Awards 2019
— Best International Feature Film
Cannes Film Festival 2018
— Ecumenical Jury Prize
San Sebastián International Film Festival 2018
— Audience Award – Best Film
Key opinion
Capharnaüm is a raw, neorealist social drama that presents a harrowing look at poverty, childhood neglect, and statelessness in Beirut. While many viewers find the film to be a profound and emotionally resonant humanitarian plea, others criticize it as emotionally manipulative and overly bleak.
| Acting | Zain Al-Rafeea’s performance as a non-professional actor is a powerful, authentic anchor that defines the emotional gravity of the film. | |
| Direction | The film utilizes an unflinching, neorealist aesthetic to depict the grim reality of life for undocumented children in impoverished Beirut. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative’s intense focus on systemic suffering and the legal battle against parents creates a deeply polarizing reaction, with some viewing it as a powerful call to action and others dismissing it as calculated 'poverty porn' designed for festival awards. | |
| Emotion | Opinions on the film's emotional impact are split: some find it a necessary, life-affirming catalyst for empathy, while others find the unrelenting misery and manipulative tone to be exploitative and depressing. |