Rent Capernaum (2018)

4.2 of 5 from 395 ratings
2h 0min
Rent Capernaum (aka Capharnaüm / Chaos) Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
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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:
, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawsar Al Haddad, Fadi Yousef, Haita 'Cedra' Izzam, Alaa Chouchnieh, , 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:
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:

2018 Cannes Jury Prize

BBFC:
Release Date:
29/07/2019
Run Time:
120 minutes
Languages:
Amharic Dolby Digital 2.0, Amharic Dolby Digital 5.1, Arabic Dolby Digital 2.0, Arabic Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:
English
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.39:1
Colour:
Colour
Bonus:
  • Capernaum - A Look Behind the Scenes
  • Theatrical Trailer
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

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Reviews (14) of Capernaum

Compelling piece of angry social realism - Capernaum review by PD

Spoiler Alert
19/11/2019

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

Spoiler Alert
09/09/2019

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.

Extraordinary - Capernaum review by MK

Spoiler Alert
18/04/2020

This film blew me away. The acting is brilliant and the raw realism draws you in. It's a window on a part of our world that is suffering, and the characters draw the heart in. What amazing acting from Zain. It was all totally convincing and engaging. A film I will remember.

2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.

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