Nadine Labaki

Nadine Labaki (; born February 18, 1974) is a Lebanese actress, director, and activist. Labaki first came into the spotlight as an actress in the early 2000s. Her filmmaking career began in 2007 after the release of her debut film, Caramel, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She is known for demonstrating everyday aspects of Lebanese life and covering a range of political issues such as war, poverty, and feminism. She is the first female Arab director to be nominated for an Oscar in the category for Best Foreign Language Film for her third directorial effort, Capernaum.

Early life Labaki was born in Baabdat, Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon, to Maronite parents Antoine and Antoinette Labaki. Her father is an engineer, while her mother is a homemaker. She spent the first seventeen years of her life living in a war-torn environment until the Lebanese Civil War ended. She learned the art of storytelling from her uncle, who was the family hakawati (storyteller).

Fleeing from the war in 1989, Labaki spent three years in Montreal and obtained Canadian citizenship.

Labaki obtained a degree in audiovisual studies at the Saint Joseph University in Beirut. In 1997, she directed her graduation film, 11 Rue Pasteur, which won her the Best Short Film Award at the Biennale of Arab Cinema at the Arab World Institute in Paris. Labaki is unique among her fellow Lebanese and Arab filmmakers in that she was not educated or trained abroad. she went on to direct advertisements and music videos for renowned Middle Eastern singers, for which she won several awards. Striving to portray contemporary Lebanese women, she "created examples of Lebanese women who were very at ease in their bodies." Ajram's female character, who serves as a waitress to male customers, was seen as inappropriate and too evocative. Labaki defended her script, stating that Ajram was actually portraying an "assertive and powerful female figure". Ajram continued to collaborate with Labaki on her music videos "Ya Salam", "Lawn Ouyounak" and "Inta Eih". The idea for this film first came about when Labaki was pregnant with her son in 2008. At that time, Lebanon was at the brink of its most violent turmoil in decades. The inter-religious conflict led to outbursts in the streets of Beirut. Labaki speaks of friends becoming enemies due to religious differences. Preparing for motherhood, she began to ponder what extreme lengths mothers would go to to prevent their sons from obtaining arms and taking to the streets to fight.

In late 2013, Nadine Labaki started work on her third feature film called Capernaum which was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. The film tells the story of a 12-year-old boy living in the slums of Beirut. He strives to sue his parents for bringing him into a world of suffering and negligence of children. Labaki wrote the screenplay along with Jihad Hojeily, Michelle Kesrouani, Georges Khabbaz and her husband, Khaled Mouzanar.

For three years prior to writing, Labaki extensively researched the city's children to gather accounts of their experiences, stories and pasts. and Labaki won Best Directing at the 12th Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

She was selected to be on the jury for the Un Certain Regard section of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

Following the success of Capernaum, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) signed Labaki in all areas, but she continues to be represented in France by Art Media Agency.

Her movie Capernaum was nominated in the foreign-language Oscars category, which was a first for a female director in 2019. She is the first female Arab director to ever be nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

In collaboration with the UNHCR and UNICEF, Zain Al Rafeea and his family have been resettled in Norway. He and his siblings are attending school for the first time in their lives with a hope of regaining their childhoods. This, says Labaki, is the greatest reward. She starred in Zeina Durra's The Seventh Dog. The work won the audience award at the Circuito Of Venice International Short Film Festival in 2006.

In 2006, Labaki starred in "Bosta," a Lebanese musical comedy.

She has also performed in her films Where Do We Go Now? and Capernaum.

Themes and directing style

Themes Growing up during the Lebanese Civil War, Labaki's films are informed by her experiences of political unrest in her home country, often exploring themes of violence and trauma. She believes that "cinema can be a way to [create] change." She has stated that politics and art are intertwined and that her films are her own "way of revolt". She has stated that her filmmaking and activism are the same, believing that cinema can effect social change.

Another common theme in her work is feminism and the female narrative. She does this by focusing on the everyday lives of women in the Middle East in her films.

Style Labaki's films are often cast with non-professional actors. Stating, "I remember thinking if this child could talk, what would he say, and how would he address the adults that killed him?" she says. "I wanted to become their voice, their vehicle for them to express themselves."

Personal life Labaki is multilingual, fluent in Arabic, French, English and Italian. In 2007, she married Lebanese musician and composer Khaled Mouzanar. In 2009, Labaki gave birth to her first boy, Walid. Seven years later (2016), Labaki gave birth to a daughter, Mayroun.

In 2016, Labaki received an honorary degree from the American University of Beirut and was the speaker at the 150th Commencement Ceremony.

Politics Labaki was a candidate on the list of the new political movement Beirut Madinati for the capital's May 2016 local election. Beirut Madinati focuses on social justice and the good of the public using a diverse group of citizens as representatives.

Despite achieving about 40% of the popular vote, the movement lost against its opponent, the Beirutis' List supported by Saad Hariri, in all 6 out of 12 wards, but did not gain a single seat under the election's one-district first-past-the-post system.

Filmography

Feature films

Short films Rio, I Love You segment: O Milagre Homemade, Labaki directed Episode 11 of this Netflix anthology series, which features short films created by filmmakers during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

As an actress Ramad (Ashes) – a short film by Joanna Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige (2003) The Seventh Dog – a short film by Zeina Durra Non métrage Libanais (2003) – a short film by Wissam Smayra; Role as Nina Bosta – a long feature by Philippe Aractingi; Role as Alia Caramel or Sukkar Banat (2007) – Role as Layale Stray Bullet (2010) – Role as Noha Al Abb Wal Gharib The Father and the Foreigner (2010) by Ricky Tognazzi Where Do We Go Now? (2011) – Role as Amale Rock The Casbah (2013) Mea Culpa (2014) Rio, I Love You (2014) – Role as self La Rançon de la gloire (2014) The Idol (2015) Capernaum (2018) – Role as Nadine 1982 (2019) – Yasmine Costa Brava, Lebanon (2021) Perfect Strangers (2022) Swimming Home (2024) The Sand Castle (2024) Premiered at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December 2024 and directed by Matty Brown, revolves around a family of four stranded on an island.

Cinema for Peace awards

Awards and nominations

Cinema for Peace awards Best Film Capernaum

Bodil Awards Best Non-American Film Capernaum

Danish Film Awards (Robert) Best Non-English Language Film Capernaum