Just when I thought that I had already been completely shocked into a stupefying daze by all the hard-hitting realism of a whole slate of compelling movies at MIFF this week, I saw INCENDIES which totally blew my mind. This French Canadian movie that only last week won no less than 8 Genies (Canada’s Oscars) … and had recently been nominated for an Oscar too … is one of the most powerfully disturbing films that I have seen in a very long time (and trust me I see my fair share). It is totally unmissable.
In a Canadian city a Notary is reading the Will of Nawal Marwan to her twin son and daughter which shocks them to discover that they have a father and brother alive back in Lebanon where their mother was from. She has left 3 letters for them. One they must deliver to the father, the other to their brother, and the third one is for them and can only be opened once they complete the first part of the request. Simon, the son, dismisses the idea as just another example of his mother’s craziness, but Jeanne his sister is determined to unravel the mystery and sets off for the Middle East immediately.
With very little to go on it seems like an impossible wild goose chase, but once she starts to uncover some of the facts of her mother’s past, as disturbing as they are, there is no going back.
Her mother had lived in the remote countryside and had gotten pregnant as a teenager, but thanks to her wily grandmother, avoided the traditional penalty of being killed by her brother for bringing disgrace to her family. After the birth, the baby was given away for adoption, and Nawal was spirited to the nearby town to live with her Uncle and get an education.
However, she got more than just an education, and soon got very politically active, which in a country enveloped in a sectarian war, was a very dangerous thing. She witnessed appalling atrocities and determined to seek revenge manages to assassinate a very high-ranking official, which landed her in jail for the next 13 years.
Jeanne slowly uncovered all of this and was so Denis Villeneuve disturbed by other more gruesome facts that she demanded that Simon join her to help her complete the search.
Anyone even with the most over-imaginative mind could not predict the sheer horrific tragedy of this penetrating story that details such inhumane acts that leave one totally shell-shocked, and yet still desperate to know the outcome. Trust me, I haven’t even touched on them here for fear of giving away too much of the plot, but let me put it this way, I have never ever sat in a packed auditorium and heard so many loud ‘Oh My God’ over the course of 2 hours.
R.T.V. In fairness it wasn’t just the sensationalism of the story that made this such a brilliant movie. An awe-inspiring script based on Wadji Mouwad’s hit play, stellar performances particularly from the two female leads, stunning visually with the vistas of a war-torn Lebanon, masterful direction from Denis Villeneuve that took such great care in every single minute detail on this canvas (using Radiohead in the soundtrack; pure genius).
It is as near perfect as a movie can ever be, and that’s why I have given it the rare highest rating I can.
P.S. This movie was shown at Sundance but the program notes so carefully avoided disclosing the plot that it never even entered my radar. I hope you don’t make the same mistake.
