Sunday, Oct 17, 2010
Gulf News
Web copy on Incendies + film review in Box
Incendies,screened on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, portrays a mother’s last wish to send her twins on a journey to the Middle East in search of their tangled roots. ? Adapted from Canadian-Lebanese writer Wajdi Mouawad’s acclaimed play, the film tells a powerful and moving tale of two young adults’ voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars, family intimacy and enduring love.? Director Denis Villeneuve, who spoke to tabloid! after the film screening, said that he worked on Incendies for five years: “As I walked out of the theatre, I said, ‘I’m going to make a film with this.’ I was amazed by the dramatic structure, the way he was dealing with intimacy and politics at the same time.”
The film traces the journey of Canadian twins Simon (Maxim Gaudette, who played the killer in Polytechnique) and Jeanne (Melissa Desormeaux-Poulin). In her will, their mother Nawal (Lubna Azabal) reveals that they have a brother from her previous lover, who was murdered by her relatives.
Nawal’s wish, sends the siblings on a trip to the Middle East which ultimately reveals a heart-stopping secret about her past. In a parallel storyline, Villeneuve relates Nawal’s younger years, and the story of the twin’s paternity.
When asked why the filmmaker added violence and bloodshed in some of the movie’s scenes, he said: “I hate violence; I close my eyes every time I see it; however it was necessary to portray scenes of war, violence and killing in order to show what the characters went through.”
During his conversation with tabloid!, several fans congratulated the Canadian filmmaker for what they called “an excellent movie, a job well done.” Among the fans, who walked up to congratulate Villeneuve, was Dutch producer Bero Beyer, known for producing the 2005 movie, Paradise Now. “I loved this fantastic movie. It was exciting and different,” said the Dutch producer.
BOX:
Film Review for Incendies
Definitely a must see!
Incendies show-cases intimacy, family ties, violence, hardship, war, rage and many other emotions. It should be viewed more than once, since the story itself it complicated and full of details.
The audience at the Adff screening for Incendies applauded the movie as soon as it ended, and feedback for the film-maker was positive. I must agree, the movie is different, yet certain scenes during the 130 minutes, can be sensitive to the eyes. If you’re sensitive to bloodshed and violence, I don’t recommend you watch the film. It’s definitely not children-friendly either.
Dina El Shammaa?Abu Dhabi Deputy Editor
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