Lebanese Director Nadine Labaki has become the first Arab woman to win Jury Prize during the 71st Edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
Labaki brought audience to tears with her dramatic film Capernaum that was met with a 15-minute standing ovation. Three years in the making, it tells a story of a 12-year-old boy in the slums of Beirut who sues his family for bringing him into the world. The drama has attracted plenty of global attention with rumours that it will be receiving an Oscar nomination, she told France 24:
“We went to many places that are very problematic in Lebanon, with prisons, jeuvenile detention centers and associations that help these kids. And it was only after listening to all of their stories that the idea for the movie came naturally: A child suing his parents for bringing him into the world. These are kids who – when you ask them, ‘Are you happy to be here?’ – most of the time they’ll say, ‘No’.”
Competing against 20 other thought provoking films, Capernaum secured the third place of the prestigious Palme d’Or making Labaki the second Arab director to receive an award at the festival. She added:
“Cinema is not only about making people dream. It’s about changing things and making people think.”
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