Rent Capernaum (2018)
4.2 of 5 from 396 ratings
2h 0min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Forced to live by his wits in order to survive, Zain's life in Beirut reaches a turning point when his parents make an unforgiveable deal that will see his younger sister (Haita 'Cedra' Izzam) married off. Left distraught by this terrible turn of event he takes to the road and whilst looking for work at a fairground, befriends a young woman who is working as a cleaner and helps to look after her adorable baby Jonas (Boluwatife Treasure Bankole). Zain (Zain Al Rafeea) and Jonas form a touching bond but things are about to get much more complicated when a set of circumstances force Zain to make choices that will have huge ramifications. 'Capernaum' is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit - a battle cry for the forgotten, the unwanted and the lost that offers hope in the most unexpected of places. - Actors:
- Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawsar Al Haddad, Fadi Yousef, Haita 'Cedra' Izzam, Alaa Chouchnieh, Nadine Labaki, Elias Khoury, Nour El Husseini, Joseph Jimbazian, Samira Chalhoub, Farah Hasno, Joe Maalouf, Alexandre Youakim, Michele Sedad, Rahaf El Razek, Farah Kanjo, Mirna Izzam, Riman Al Rafeea
- Directors:
- Nadine Labaki
- Producers:
- Michel Merkt, Khaled Mouzanar
- Writers:
- Nadine Labaki, Jihad Hojeily, Michelle Keserwany, Georges Khabbaz, Khaled Mouzanar
- Others:
- Khaled Mouzanar
- Aka:
- Capharnaüm / Chaos
- Studio:
- Picturehouse Entertainment
- Genres:
- Drama
- Countries:
- Lebanon
- Awards:
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 29/07/2019
- Run Time:
- 126 minutes
- Languages:
- Amharic Dolby Digital 2.0, Amharic DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Arabic Dolby Digital 2.0, Arabic DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.39:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Capernaum - A Look Behind the Scenes
- Theatrical Trailer
More like Capernaum
Found in these customers lists
336 films by previously-rented-1
391 films by eyore
Reviews (14) of Capernaum
Compelling piece of angry social realism - Capernaum review by PD
Nadine Labaki’s film is a truly astonishing piece of stark social realism generally told (apart from some pieces of rather irritating syrupy strings) without sentimentality. Set in Beirut, it starts off with the audacious (and admittedly rather dubious) premise of a young boy who's suing his parents for having him, and over the course of its two hours, by following the point of view of her young protagonist Zain, Labaki successfully articulates the impossibility of the lives that were bestowed upon him and other children he meets.
The title takes its name from the ancient fishing town of Capernaum, which in turn became the namesake for a word meaning 'disorderly accumulation of objects' or, simply, 'chaos'; and in the slums that Labaki’s characters inhabit, people, especially children, come to be a part of that disorderly accumulation as well. When the film opens, Zain (the incredible Zain Alrafeea), who guesses he’s 12 but whose stunted body looks much younger, is being taken out of prison to face his parents in court. He has a lawyer, and even though he’s already stood trial for a stabbing (the details of which we’ll come to learn) he's now the plaintiff: here to make the case that his very birth was a crime of neglect. Alrafeea is a startling, unforgettable presence, and his anger at the various cruelties and injustices around him surely mirror the director's - it's a very angry film. From the courtroom, we flash back to the series of unfortunate events that landed Zain in prison, starting with the heartbreak of seeing his 11-year-old sister Sahar sold off to be the bride of a grown man for a few chickens. It’s a devastating sequence, and 15 minutes into the film, we’re already sufficiently annoyed to wish for a life sentence for Zain’s parents. Much of the remainder of the film charts the developing relationship between Zain and Yonas, the baby boy of Rahil, an Ethiopian immigrant, and as their situation goes steadily from bad to worse, the film sometimes feels at risk of buckling under the weight of its own suffering, but is ultimately saved by the director's empathy for those lives attempting to survive in such squalor.
There's a touch of melodrama at times and some somewhat implausible sequences, but the sheer emotional force of 'Capernaum' makes this compelling viewing.
5 out of 5 members found this review helpful.
Touching - Capernaum review by jM
A very touching portrayal of what life is like for refugees in Lebanon. While the dialogue is spare, the acting is outstanding, in particular the young boy who struggles valiantly to deal with impossible circumstances. His relationship with the toddler, whose reactions are completely natural and must have required many hours of patient camera-work to capture, is moving and almost heroical.
5 out of 5 members found this review helpful.
Why did the little boy sue his parents? - Capernaum review by AB
Eleven year old Zain, who lives in Beirut, decides to sue his parents. Watch the film and you will found out why. It is a heart-rending tale of poverty, immigrants, and the daily struggle to survive. Zain shows compassion, courage and creativity when he finds himself looking after an adorable toddler, with no help whatsoever. A tough but rewarding watch. Subtitled.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.