Capernaum
2018
****½
Director: Nadine Labaki
Cast: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Bankole, Kawthar Al Haddad, Fadi Kamel Youssef, Nour el Husseini, Alaa Chouchnieh, Cedra Izam, Nadine Labaki, Joseph Jimbazian, Farah Hasno, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole
Zain, a 12-year-old street kid from the slums of Beirut, who has suffered incredible hardship, sues his parents for bringing him into the world. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn why and how he ran away from home and ended up caring for the infant son of a paperless Ethiopian refugee. Nadine Labaki's gritty and thought-provoking drama draws attention to child poverty and social injustice. Like Brazilian classics Pixote and Central Station, Labaki's beautifully directed film feels natural, authentic, and utterly believable. Zain Al Rafeea gives an incredible performance as Zain, who is not a helpless victim but a smart, resourceful, resilient, and compassionate boy. What Boluwatife Treasure Bankole does as the infant boy may not be classified as acting, but she is a terrific screen presence.
