THE INSULT (aka L'INSULTE) (ARABIC/FRENCH) (2017)

The wounds of fire may heal and might even disappear with time; But, the burns caused by vicious words would never heal !!

This is the wisdom shared to the world by the ancient Tamil poet sage Thiruvalluvar in one of his 1330 Kurals (couplets) which is part of Thirukkural, an ancient classic Tamil text which is a monumental work on ethics and morality.

In The Insult, which is set in modern Beirut, Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri explores this very tenet through the events involving two principal characters - Toni Hanna (Adel Karam), a Lebanese Christian and Yasser, a Palestinian refugee. Toni is an automobile mechanic and Yasser Salameh (Kamel El Basha), is a foreman of a construction crew working in Toni's neighbourhood. Toni is also an ardent supporter of the Christian party and is hot-headed.  Yasser, on the other hand is reticent, and being a refugee, has an indeterminate legal status despite having lived in Beirut for several years. A faulty drain pipe overhanging from Toni's balcony triggers the initial confrontation and an exchange of insults. This is followed by vehement demands for apology from the other side and soon escalates to a forceful punch to the gut and ultimately, lands the duo in two courtroom battles. The movie captures the unfolding courtroom battles between the two individuals over this minor tussle as it steadily escalates and threatens to engulf the entire nation in turmoil.

From the initial seemingly trivial squabble to the courtroom combats, the movie takes the viewers on a roller coaster ride which includes resurfacing of latent wounds which never heal, traumatic revelations on the realities which were otherwise suppressed, a civil war which despite being over long ago seems to have transcended from the physical realm to the mind space of the population where it is still actively fought on a daily basis, the media melee surrounding the case which brings a fragile peace to the brink; and the effect of these unintended escalations on Toni and Yasser as they contemplate their lives, their painful past and prejudices that are deeply embedded therein which define their grim present as well as their possible next steps. Could there be a sense of hope or the long and deep shadows from their past are set to snuff out all light from their present as well as future ? Seen from another perspective, is this just a case of a personal conflict exploding to ensnare an entire nation or is it a chronic national/regional conflict which has percolated down to infect the everyday affairs of these persons ?

Home to one of the earliest human civilisations, Lebanon, is a small state in the Middle East which is nestled between Mediterranean sea to its west and Syria and Israel on the other directions. Lebanon, which had remained largely peaceful, prosperous and progressive, is unique in the largely Arab neighbourhood by virtue of its demographics consisting of almost equal number of Christian and Muslim citizens. The vexed political situation of the larger region, that has fanned the flames of hatred over the decades, has resulted in deep fissures along ethnic as well as religious lines. Over time, these have evolved in deep seated insecurities, mutual sense of victimhood and anger among all communities. When such groups are almost equally strong, as in the case of Lebanon, this creates a scenario of perfect storm. Not surprisingly, this has resulted in a bloody civil war which spanned from 1975-1990 and consumed scores of its citizenry. Despite the end of the civil war, tensions remain and erupts in the form of ugly violence from time to time as disparate political groups seek to gain mileage by adding fuel to the deceptive, yet highly inflammable embers. The influx of refugees from neighbours in turmoil has provided further feedstock to this cauldron.

Despite being set in Lebanon with protagonists from particular communities, the film has a universal appeal as it explores multiple elements like the politics of opportunism which feed on prejudice & hatred, jingoistic appeals, deep-seated resentments, macho masculine pride as well as media madness which are seeking to alter the essence of human condition in these turbid times. The film is also an exploration on the how common sense could become a casualty when vexed vanities of exaggerated male egos glued to long-held grudges take the center stage. It also depicts the difficulties in de-escalation once the tinderbox is set alight as even seemingly simple conflicts could quickly spiral out of control with no solutions in sight.

Director Ziad Doueiri deserves credit for fashioning an engaging and powerful narrative which does not take sides and keeps the viewer engrossed in the proceedings till the very end. Special praise is due for the way he stages the courtroom battles where the protagonists as well as their attorneys land punches and counter-punches. While he may not be subtle and is also guilty of succumbing to cliches, his narrative is nevertheless energetic and aided by the excellent performances from entire cast which makes even the age old cliches work. With this fabulous feature, he acquits himself as a director to watch out in the future. 

The Insult was Lebanon's official submission in 90th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film and was part of the final shortlist. It has been widely praised across multiple film festivals where it has won many accolades including the Volpi Cup for Best Actor (Kamel El Basha) in the Venice International Film Festival. It was also the opening movie of the recently concluded IFFK-2017.

A RIVETING WATCH !!

RATING - 4/5

CLASH (aka ESHTEBAK) (ARABIC) (2016)

What is the essence of democracy ? Is democracy the best system for all countries at all times ? What happens if a democracy is denuded to a state where it is merely a form of majoritarian rule with scant regard for the rights and aspirations of its citizenry and especially, those of the minorities ? In such a case, would it be any different or better than an authoritarian regime ?

After almost three decades of dictatorial reign, when the government of President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown by the events following Tahrir Square in  2011, popular elections brought Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood to power in Egypt. However, his radical religious agenda drove a deep wedge in a multi-ethnic society and after a popular, violent uprising by his opponents in 2013, the army took control. This pushed the country on the brink of civil war. Egypt became a chaotic crucible and was enveloped in a season of daily protests on the streets between supporters of Muslim Brotherhood who felt that their democratically elected government was unfairly unseated and supporters of the army who sought an end to the fundamentalist regime of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The film captures one such day when protests break out in various parts of Cairo between these opposing factions. The entire movie is set and has been filmed within the confines of a police van which has been deployed on the street. While it starts with the arrest of an Egyptian born journalist working with the Associated Press covering the clashes along with his local freelance cameraman, the van is quickly filled up with a motley assembly of people cutting across the spectrum of age, economic status and owing their allegiance to either side of the ideological divide. Tempers fray with the supporters of Muslim Brotherhood and the pro-army group find themselves at each other's throats and find that their strength of ideological conviction is put to a litmus test by this sticky situation. As the cops try to shepherd the police van to safety traversing through treacherous streets of midtown Cairo filled with rioting mobs, the van - literally as well as figuratively - becomes a simmering cauldron ready to explode.  

While at an apparent level, it is a clash between competing factions which seek to wrest power, at another deeper level, it is equally a clash between ideologies that we espouse, which tend to define us and appropriate our entire identities with the basic ethos of humanity which resonate across competing and often contrasting ideologies, geographies or for that matter, any other divides. Thus, despite being set in Cairo, the movie strikes a near universal resonance, especially given the politically charged climes that we inhabit.

Director Diab's ambitious narrative is replete with frenetic riot sequences, sniper shootings, stonings, water canons, laser strobe lights and tear-gas clouds which are captured in full blooded intensity from within the confines of the van by cinematographer Ahmed Gabr's adroit handheld camerawork. Despite being a serious movie set to the pulse of a racy thriller, it incorporates a healthy dose of humour in the interactions and the inherent contradictions between the ideologies professed and the behaviour forced by the circumstances. It also underlines the enduring nature of humanity that triumphs over all obstacles like a stubborn plant which challenges and survives on the rock face even as there are undercurrents of anxiety which are lurking just below the surface and which are capable of unleashing the inherent animal instincts which are susceptible to be stoked by mob mentality. Diab populates the movie with engaging characters which we could connect to and the fact that his narrative shuns siding with any particular group enhances its universal appeal.

While the constricted confines of the police van creates a claustrophobic atmospheric through the entire movie, director Mohamed Diab ensures that the setting adds far greater value than merely being a gimmick. In a way, the confined space of the police van in Clash is also a stark metaphor of a country which stands on a precipice with little room to maneuver. A country which finds that a much vaunted political spring after decades of repression has failed to heal the fissures that divide the society. This has, in turn, resulted in deep distrust in each other, a sense of hopelessness and frustration which feed into a vicious cycle of acrimony and chaos that permeate this society. The movie is also peppered with instances where the occupants of the van display rays of kindness, humanity and humour which shines through the clouds of conflict that threaten to eclipse their inherent goodness. 

Clash presents a heady concoction filled with multiple ingredients that have come to define the times that we live in - chaos, hopelessness, frustration, mistrust and humanity which has the potential to shine through even the thickest veneers of ideological convictions that seek to derail our rationality.

Thanks to the universal appeal, Clash has received multiple laurels at film festivals across the world. It was screened as the opening movie at the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes 2016 and was the winner of Best Film and Audience Award at the recently concluded International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK),  2016. It was also selected as the official Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards.

In conclusion, I couldn't agree more with Tom Hanks who has praised the film by saying - 

"If there's any way you can see Clash by Egyptian director Mohamed Diab, you must. You simply must. The film will break your heart, but enlighten all."

A MUST WATCH !!

RATING - 4.5/5

OMAR (ARABIC) (2013)

When you are born in a land which has been suffocating under strife for generations, distress and betrayal could well permeate into your very being to the extent that they get embedded into the genetic code itself. Perhaps, it seeks to serve as a flimsy line of defense that helps this cursed populace fight on in a futile battle of survival. And, it would appear that trust is something that gets truncated with the umbilical cord at birth itself. In the resulting melee of such poisoned environs that fester with insecurity and hatred which feed on each other, innocence goes incognito. 

This is a case of a history which refuses to remain just that as it transcends the realm of the past to haunt the present, perhaps in a death wish which seeks to reenact itself on a daily basis. History, akin to a mighty banyan tree, which even as it provides the security of shade from the heat of a scorching sun, stunts the inherent growth - in this case, the present and the future - of plants beneath it. Seen that way, this is a generation buried under the burdens of their past which is spreading its tentacles through timelines to slowly scupper their present and future.

The story is set in the West Bank region of Palestine which features the tall wall that separates the fellow Arabs on either side as much as it seperates the Israeli and Arab settlements. Our protagonist Omar (Adam Bakri), a baker is in love with Nadia, the younger sister of his close friend Tarek. Omar and Nadia  steal occasional moments of romance and togetherness hiding away from the eyes of their conservative society and plan for a "happily ever-after" marital bliss. Meanwhile, Omar, Tarek and Amjad who are buddies from childhood are planning to launch an attack on an Israeli army post as their act of angry defiance against an enemy who defiles their daily lives through their continuing occupation and oppression. Their ill-conceived, mindless act results in the death of a random Israeli soldier which triggers an Israeli backlash in the form of a manhunt for the perpetrators. 

While Tarek and Amjad flee, Omar is apprehended and lands in the Israeli prison. In the prison, after being put through the customary third-degree torture, Omar is entrapped by the wily Israeli agent Rami who persuades him to accede to a deal for his freedom in return of him aiding the Israelis to capture Tarek who is seen as the leader of their gang. A desperate Omar agrees on the false hope that he could somehow wriggle out of this mess and may even turn this deal to the advantage of their gang. He also hopes to salvage his relationship with Nadia and realise their dreams of a life together. Alas, all is not well and the best laid plans and hopes turn to mirage in a land parched by the unquenchable thirst of a continuing conflict. 

There are no winners in this battle of betrayals which is a zero sum game that feeds and fuels a seemingly perpetual vicious cycle of  meaningless violence and bloodshed. Fears cloud the psyche as a thick and persistent smog strangling any recourse to reason. And, this is  a land where even love appears steeped on conditionalities of one's conformity to a credo that is identified as the common cause.

Director Hany Abu-Assad, who awed the viewer with his earlier Paradise Now (2005), paints an intimate picture of love and betrayals in a conflict zone. While he refrains from making any overt political commentary on this region trapped in turmoil, in his observation of events at the micro level of his leads here, he subtly brings out the lasting effects of life in a war zone. With a cast of mostly fresh, albeit confident, artists, Assad succeeds in essaying an engaging human drama which is filled with romance, friendship, commitment, betrayal, pain and survival laced with intrigue and subterfuge.

"Omar" has been richly awarded in several international film festivals including the prestigious Un-Certain Regard Jury Prize at the Cannes. It is also the second film directed by Hany Abu-Assad to be a finalist among foreign language films nominated to receive an Oscar at the 2014 Academy Awards and lost to The Great Beauty, the winner from Italy. It was featured in the recently concluded Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFES-2014).

A multi-layered film, Omar is at once a crisp thriller, engaging human drama as well as a subtle commentary on the devastating impact on the daily lives of ordinary citizens of an occupation that has spanned several generations without an end in sight. It is a thoroughly satisfying watch which stays with the viewer long after watching it.

A MASTERPIECE & A MUST WATCH !!

RATING - 3.5/5

THE BAND'S VISIT aka BIKUR HA -TIZMORET (HEBREW/ARABIC/ENGLISH) (2007)

The Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra, an Egyptian police orchestra consisting of eight artists, land in Israel to perform at a local Arab Cultural Centre. However, when they land at the Israeli airport in their immaculate blue uniforms, they are befuddled to find that there is no welcoming party/vehicle to receive them in this alien land. The leader of the band is a sullen and taciturn Tewfiq (an excellent Sasson Gabai). Thanks to a mispronunciation, the band lands in a wrong place and is trapped in an isolated small town in the middle of a desert without any further conveyance or communication. As there are no hotels to spend the night, the band is forced to accept the shelter provided by Dina (a radiant Ronit Elkabetz), the owner of a local restaurant and couple of her customers in their respective homes. Tewfiq and the Haled (Saleh Bakri) end up at the home of Dina while the others are provided shelter by her customers. What follows is an interesting study of characters of these unlikely hosts and their reticent guests as they interact ever so reluctantly over the course of the night.

The core of the movie revolves around its three principal protagonists viz. - Sasson Gabai,  Ronit Elkabetz and Saleh Bakri as Tewfiq, Dina and Haled respectively and how they handle their unusual situations over the night. Sasson Gabai owns the character of Tewfiq in its all clammed up exterior, circumspect communication and his constant attempts to manoeuvre through the ambiguity of his awkward situation. Ronit Elkabetz shines through as the assertive and confident Dina who uncovers Tewfiq's rocky exterior with her simmering warmth to find a warm, yet lonely individual weighed down by his pensive past. Saleh Bakri is fluid in his portrayal of Haled as somewhat brash and rebellious member of the band. 

Eran Kolirin, the debutante director, deftly navigates through the narrative of this long night when these hitherto unacquainted persons from alien lands have to interact and traverse. But, are they just strangers from two nations which share a mutual hostility ? In the course of their interactions, both verbal and otherwise, over the night, the movie conveys the elemental human craving for communication and reaching out to other souls, which recognise no man-made barriers. 

Eran Kolirin seems to have a gift of framing his visuals which could communicate and presents the loneliness that permeates the town or the predicament of the characters to the viewer without even a single dialogue. Check out the scene at a local skating rink where Haled helps his young host in connecting to his date or the scene at Dina's home after she returns from a dinner with Tewfiq at a restaurant or the sequence concerning an artist and his unfinished piece of music or even the sequence at the local pay phone where a young man awaits the call from his lover even as a member of the band is trying to make a call.

The Band's Visit is an unusual and rather, intriguing slice-of-life drama that strikes a chord. In the garb of a gentle bittersweet comedy, it presents a subtle, yet profound exploration of the very human emotions of loneliness, melancholy, friendship, love, loss and hope which are commonplace and connect people irrespective of the fact that they may consider one another as alien or even enemies.

The movie won the award under the category of Un Certain Regard (Jury Coup de Coeur) at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007 and has adorned several other film festivals where it was highly appreciated. However, it was rejected as the official nominee from Israel at the Academy Awards under the category of Best Foreign Language movie as more than half of of the dialogues are in English.

A VERY GOOD WATCH !!

P.S. -  You can watch this movie on UTV WORLD MOVIES channel which airs it quite regularly.