“Capernaum”, translates into “Chaos”, the original Biblical meaning of the word was about a place that was cursed, but also a place where miracles could happen. 

Left to right: Boluwatife Treasure Bankole as Yonas, Zain Al Rafeea as Zain.  Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Article by Marcus Siu

“Capernaum” begins with an emotional, foul-mouthed but sad-eyed Lebanese boy, named “Zain”, (Zain Al Rafeea), shackled in handcuffs in his prison uniform in a courtroom receiving his penalty for a crime.  After his sentence, he seeks justice by requesting that he wishes to sue his parents for the “crime” of giving him life.

Naturally, a child cannot legally sue their parents for being born in any country, but it certainly brings awareness that those around him that something has gone awry within his environment.  Especially of an undocumented child, like Zain, who has no papers or documents to prove he even exists.  Certainly, to pass judgement on his parents as the ones to blame would be way too simple.  Life is more complex than that.

Left to right: Zain Al Rafeea as Zain, Cedra Izam as Sahar Photo by Christopher Aoun, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Through Zain’s point of view, we see how he got into this grave situation.  We see his unbearable living conditions, his abusive parents, and the unforgivable reason why he decided to run away involving his younger sister whom he adored.  Without much of a plan, we see him struggling to survive out in the in the poverty stricken shantytown streets of Beirut.

Somehow, he uses his street smarts in order to survive and to find shelter, where he befriends Rahil, a poor illegal Ethiopian refugee mother who takes him in as her own, despite working illegally.  He soon looks after her infant baby while she is away, not only as a “big brother”, but also as a maternal parent as they become his new “family”.

Left to right: Yordanos Shiferaw as Rahil Photo by Fares Sokhon, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Director Nadine Labaki marvelously casted non-professional actors playing characters whose past resembled their own, set amongst the poor with its social-political problems and filmed on location, much like the Italian neorealist films.  Labaki explains, “I wanted to find people where there is very little difference between them and the character. And then I wanted to ask them to go on their raw instinct and just be.”

Left to right: Nadine Labaki and Zain Al Rafeea Photo by Fares Sokhon, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

In fact, Yordanos Shiferaw, who plays Rahil, was actually a refugee from Ethiopia and was living illegally in Lebanon while filming the movie.  Three days after playing a scene of being arrested in the film, she was actually arrested for not having an ID card and spent two weeks in jail, before Labaki and her husband, producer and composer Khaled Mouzanar were able to bail her out.

Left to right: Zain Al Rafeea as Zain, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole as Yonas Photo by Christopher Aoun, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Labaki couldn’t command these non-actors to be able to act on demand, so instead of the typical “action” or “cut” that directors prompt with, she let the actors act at their own pace with her flexible script, and kept the cameras rolling.  The results are scenes that are authentic, heartfelt, and poignant that may be impossible from a professional cast, especially Zain Al Rafeea, who is a revelation.

After filming was complete, there was over 600 hours of footage which took 2 ½ years to edit the final film.  The first cut was 14 hours long, but was finally trimmed down to two to make the Cannes Film Festival in May.  There, it had its world premiere and it received a 15-minute standing ovation.  It also took the Grand Jury Prize at the prestigious festival and continued to sweep audience awards globally.

Miracles do happen.

Left to right: Zain Al Rafeea as Zain, director Nadine Labaki at a recent Q&A session at the Smith-Rafael Film Center. Photo by Marcus Siu.

(Originally printed in the January 2019 issue of CC Magazine)