Day 25. Nadine Labaki Film as a Tool for Change.
“Cinema should not just entertain. It should awaken us. It should make us feel something, even if that something is uncomfortable.”
— Nadine Labaki
Let’s celebrate Nadine Labaki, a trailblazing Lebanese filmmaker, actress, and humanitarian whose cinematic lens has brought the voices of the marginalized to the global stage. Her bold, intimate storytelling confronts issues of poverty, displacement, gender, and childhood injustice with compassion and urgency.
A Vision Rooted in Humanity
Born in Baabdat, Lebanon, Nadine Labaki studied media and film at Saint Joseph University in Beirut. Her early work as a music video director and actress quickly garnered attention, but it was her move into feature filmmaking that solidified her as a transformational filmmaker in world cinema.
Her directorial debut, Caramel (2007), portrayed the everyday lives and complexities of five Lebanese women with tenderness and nuance. But it was her 2018 film Capernaum that earned global acclaim and catapulted her into the Oscar spotlight.
Capernaum: A Cry for Justice
Capernaum tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who sues his parents for bringing him into a life of poverty and neglect. Featuring non-professional actors, many of whom were refugees, the film is a haunting, heartrending indictment of systems that fail children, migrants, and the poor.
The film premiered at Cannes, where it won the Jury Prize, and was later nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars — making Labaki the first Arab woman ever nominated in that category.
“I wanted to scream through this film. I wanted to shake the world awake,” Labaki said of Capernaum.
Championing Real Lives on Screen
Labaki is deeply committed to ethical filmmaking and giving back to the communities she portrays. During the production of Capernaum, she and her team worked to secure education, housing, and legal support for many of the child and refugee actors featured in the film.
Her work challenges traditional narratives and shines a spotlight on the intersections of injustice, identity, and resilience — particularly for children, women, and refugees.
Notable Quotes
“I don’t want to make films that are just seen. I want to make films that are felt.”
“The pain of the world is not meant to be turned away from. It’s meant to be held, examined, and understood.”
Learn More About Nadine Labaki
🎬 Watch Capernaum (2018) – A powerful, must-see film.
🎥 BAFTA screenwriter’s lecture series on Youtube.
📰 UNHCR Profile on Nadine’s activism and advocacy for refugees.
📰 The Decade of the Female Filmmakers of the Arab Uprisings – EIMed.
Reflection
Nadine Labaki centers her values and ideals in her filmmaking, raising awareness about the injustices that stir her to action. We invite you to reflect on her work as a filmmaker, and how sharing one’s passion can impact the world.
💬How does Nadine’s advocacy inspire you to use your passions to impact change?
💬In what ways can we consider the ideal of reciprocity in all we do, the way Nadine centers on reciprocal benefit for those that she creates films for?
Join us again tomorrow when we highlight the luxurious real estate of Mohamed Hadid.
Learn more: Explore the films Nadine has had showcased at Cannes Film Festival.
#UU #UUA #CelebrateDiversity #30DaysOfHonoringArabAmericans #ArabAmerican #ArabAmericanHeritageMonth #Capernaum #ArabWomenInFilm #FilmForJustice
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