It’s definitely a great day for Nadine Labaki, who has made history as the first Arab female filmmaker to ever be nominated for an Oscar in the best foreign language film category.
Labaki’s film, Capernaum, gives Lebanon back-to-back foreign-language nomination following Ziad Doueiri’s The Insult, which was nominated last year.
Set against the backdrop of the Middle East’s growing refugee crisis, the film follows a 12-year old Beirut boy who sues his parents over his birth. The name of the film means “chaos”.
She said in an Instagram post in December: “After years of research, tears and sweat, long production hours and sleepless nights, our film has been recognised on this year’s Foreign Language Oscar shortlist among 8 other films from a selection that exceeded 80 submissions from all around the world. We couldn’t be prouder.”
Labaki’s film already has admirers in high places. In an Instagram post earlier this month, Oprah Winfrey said she “Can’t stop thinking about this movie. Saw it 3 days ago. Didn’t know when I watched it that the cast members were real people, including these 2 phenomenal kids.”
However, the film has stiff competition in a category that also includes Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma, to whom she lost the Golden Globe. She’s also in contention for a foreign language BAFTA.
The film stars Syrian refugee Zain Rafea and Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, who was deported from Lebanon to Kenya in March.
Last year, Labaki made history as the first female Arab director to win the Jury Prize at Cannes, where she won the festival’s second highest honour and received a 15-minute long standing ovation.
In 2014, British-Yemeni filmmaker Sara Ishaq was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).
