Stunningly beautiful, critically acclaimed Lebanese writer, director
Nadine Labaki, whose first film was the charming and sensual Caramel (2007), has just won the Toronto
International Film Festival’s (TIFF) People Choice award for her new film Where Do We Go Now?
Caramel was a seductive
and romantic look at life in Beirut from the point of view of a group of women of
different ages, who work in a beauty salon and help each other out and share their
beauty secrets and romance advice. We get to see women of different generations
and religious backgrounds in the safe, sheltered environment of a beauty shop, where
they are free to talk and discuss any subject that may be taboo in Lebanese
society.
It’s a movie that exposes some of the prejudices and
restrictions that women still face in Arab society but uses a great deal of
light hearted humor to show how women of all ages come together to deal with
problems and enjoy life. Caramel refers to a sugar wax, which when warmed, is
used to remove unwanted body hair but can also be enjoyed as a confection.
Nadine Labaki is a gorgeous female director who also stars
as the main character in her films and when you see her you know why. She
easily holds the audience’s attention with her stunning beauty. Her onscreen presence
and feminine sensuality is so powerful that when she is on screen you can’t
take your eyes off her.
All the women in the film are non-professional actors that Labaki
found living and working in Beirut, giving the film an authenticity and
believability that would not be possible with actors, and we get to know these
women intimately over the course of the film.
Now she has made a new film called Where Do We Go Now?, that has just won the People’s Choice award at
the TIFF and is also about women who come together and help each other to deal
with a serious issue of stopping the men of their village from fighting each other in a violent war.
Again using humor to expose and deal with serious issues she
retains many of her trademark story elements.
JP
3 comments:
Now that's passion. I don't know how far you wish to go with this movie critic thing, but it is posts like these that reveal your understanding and passion for the genre.
Keep it up, sir.
Great review and now I've got to see both films! Thanks so much!
I sent this to my son in Iraq... he says movies are his hobby now.. and I think he'll really enjoy this. Great writing. Nice review. Thanks
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