L'insulte (2017)

After an emotional exchange between a Lebanese Christian and a Palestinian refugee escalates, the men end up in a court case that gets national attention.

Director:

Ziad Doueiri

Writers:

Ziad Doueiri, Joelle Touma

Stars:

Adel Karam, Kamel El Basha, Camille Salameh

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adel Karam	...	Tony Hanna
Kamel El Basha	...	Yasser Abdallah Salameh
Camille Salameh	...	Wajdi Wehbe
Diamand Bou Abboud	...	Nadine Wehbe (as Diamand Abou Abboud)
Rita Hayek	...	Shirine Hanna
Talal Jurdi	...	Talal (General Manager)
Christine Choueiri	...	Manal Salameh
Julia Kassar	...	Judge Colette Mansour
Rifaat Torbey	...	Samir Geagea
Carlos Chahine	...	Judge Chahine
Walid Abboud	...	Himself (Television Host)
Georges Daoud	...	Georges Hanna
Elie Njeim	...	Elie
Sami Hamdan	...	Ibrahim Nassar
Tony Mehanna	...	The President

Storyline

In today's Beirut, an insult blown out of proportions finds Toni, a Lebanese Christian, and Yasser, a Palestinian refugee, in court. From secret wounds to traumatic revelations, the media circus surrounding the case puts Lebanon through a social explosion, forcing Toni and Yasser to reconsider their lives and prejudices.

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Plot Keywords:

prejudice | insult | palestinian | racial tension | beirut | 

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Taglines:

Words Change Everything.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violent images

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site Official site [Japan]

Country:

France Cyprus Belgium Lebanon USA

Language:

Arabic

Release Date:

14 September 2017 (Lebanon)

Also Known As:

El insulto

Filming Locations:

Beirut, Lebanon

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$1,001,305, 19 April 2018

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rouge International,Tessalit Productions,Ezekiel Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (HD)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lebanon's first Oscar nomination ever.

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Quotes

Wajdi Wehbe: Wajdi Wehbe: No one has a monopoly on suffering.

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Connections

Referenced in Sean Bradley's First Reaction: 90th Academy Awards - Nominations (2018)

User Reviews

Ziad Doueiri's masterpiece.

Lebanese filmmaker Ziad Doueiri needs no introduction, having directed a series of successful films over the years. While "West Beirut" will forever remain my favorite movie, his latest effort, "The Insult", further confirms his skill as a talented storyteller. In short: it's one of the most intense Lebanese movies I've ever seen. What makes "The Insult" so good is the way Doueiri takes a seemingly ordinary situation and builds a web of suspense around it. Adel Karam (in one of the best performances of his career) plays Toni, a Lebanese christian who can't seem to let go of the past. One day, he gets into a heated argument with a Palestinian worker (played by an excellent Kamel El Basha), which leads to a domino-like sequence of unpredictable events. Doueiri masterfully explores the dark side of each character, especially as it relates to patriotism, politics, and the consequences of taking revenge. I'd say this is Doueiri's specialty, and the sense of discomfort he creates throughout this exceptional film will hold you in its grip at every turn. And when it ends, it leaves us with much food for thought, something that's been missing from most recent Lebanese films. Having been criticized so many times for not supporting local movies, it's refreshing to finally encounter something worth recommending. Ziad Doueiri's "The Insult" is a terrific achievement.