After being the first Lebanese film nominated for the Golden Globes‘ Best Picture – Foreign Language, ‘Capernaum’ becomes the second Lebanese motion picture to ever be shortlisted for the Academy Awards, after Ziad Doueiri’s The Insult in 2017.
‘Capernaum’ tells the story of Zain, a Lebanese boy who sues his parents for the “crime” of giving him life.
The movie follows the young boy – from teenage to adulthood, surviving through his wits on the streets, and fleeing his parent’s negligence.
After receiving the wonderful news, Labaki wrote on her personal Instagram account:
“What an incredible moment in our film’s journey and a major milestone for Lebanese and Arab cinema, after years of research, tears and sweat, long production hours and sleepless nights, our film has been recognized 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.”
‘Capernaum’ is among the films shortlisted for an Oscar in the foreign-language film category, alongside:
- Pawel Pawlikowski’s ‘Cold War’
- Hirokazu Koreeda’s ‘Shoplifters’
- Alfonso Cuaron’s ‘Roma’
- Lee Chang-dong’s ‘Burning’
- Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra-directed ‘Birds of Passage’
- Gustav Möller’s ‘The Guilty’
- Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s ‘Never Look Away’
- Sergey Dvortsevoy’s ‘Ayka’.
Labaki’s heart-warming reaction to the shortlisting release was recorded live and uploaded on her Instagram account.
Nadine Labaki never fails to make Lebanon and the Lebanese people proud, we wish her the best of luck in this incredible journey!
