Director Nadine Labaki's "Capernaum" earned a 15 minute standing ovation at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. It ended up winning the Jury Prize and was quickly picked up by Sony Pictures Classics for distribution and Oscar consideration.
In my Cannes review I mentioned that Labaki's film restlessly moves like an urban-realist "Slumdog Millionaire." The film is composed of overdone flashbacks, but the current day sequences involving a Lebanese boy fleeing his parents and attempting to use his wits to survive on the slummy streets are nothing short of mesmerizing. Labaki used a cast of non-professional actors to play parts, a lot of improvisation was used and et voila! Something akin to 1930's Italian Neo-realism.
“Capernaum” will be in select theaters on December 14. Expect a major Oscar push on the part of Sony Pictures Classic.