The Insult (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 18 wins & 14 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 (as Talal El Jurdi)
Christine Choueiri	...	Manal Salameh
Julia Kassar	...	Judge Colette Mansour
Rifaat Torbey	...	Samir Geagea
Carlos Chahine	...	Judge Chahine
Walid Abboud	...	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:

court case | courtroom drama | prejudice | insult | palestinian | 

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Taglines:

...a thrilling new legal drama centering on a minor disagreement between two men that escalates into a nationwide controversy.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violent images

Did You Know?

Trivia

The speech that Tony is listening to in his auto shop garage is a speech by Bachir Gemayel on critical of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Bachir Gemayel was senior member of the Lebanese Christian Phalange Party aka El Kataeb Party. He was also the founder of the Lebanese Armed Forces and was elected as the youngest President of Lebanon and was assassinated right before taking office September 14, 1982 when El Kataeb Party HQ was bombed. He was also the son of Pierre Gemayel, the founder of El Kataeb Party and a popular politician until his death in 1984. Bachir was replaced by his brother Amine Gemayel who became President from 1982-1988.

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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)

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Soundtracks

Lebanese Forces Hymn
© & P The Lebanese Forces

User Reviews

sticks and stones

Greetings again from the darkness. When a film opens with a statement that 'the views expressed are those of the authors and director, and not of the government of Lebanon', one quickly understands the difference in artistic freedom in that country versus what occurs in the United States, where cartoons and memes regularly poke fun at this country's President. Director Ziad Doueri and his co-writer Joelle Touma present an intense story of human nature that might happen anywhere, but since the leads are a Lebanese Christian and a Palestine refugee, that opening statement is warranted.

One morning, a seemingly innocuous exchange between Tony (Adel Karam) and Yasser (Kamel El-Basha) takes place. While watering flowers on his balcony, the overflow sprays Yasser on the street below. Yasser, a city contractor, orders his team to fix the drainage issue, and Tony reacts violently - leading to Yasser delivering the titular insult. From there, all heck breaks loose. Apologies are requested and never delivered. Appeals to rational reconsideration are made. Tony's pregnant wife (an excellent Rita Hayek) pleads with him to let it go. Yasser's boss threatens him with termination. Still, two stubborn and prideful men refuse to give in.

The subsequent courtroom drama feature other side stories, not the least of which is the relationship between the two opposing attorneys (Diamond Bou Abboud and Camile Salaheh), one a rising legal star and the other a veteran attempting to make up for a past failure. Emotions run high as two too-proud men turn what was little more than a playground standoff into a national incident being fought in the legal system and the media. Tony is a hot-head who somehow thinks an apology from Yasser is actually an apology for how Palestinians "messed up this country". Yasser's stoic nature barely shrouds his bitterness at the world since the Lebanon Civil War. History and childhood roots play a role, but mostly it's human nature that is at the core of this escalation.

Though the title is not plural, there are multiple insults slung throughout the film, each reminding us of the power of words and the futility of the "sticks and stones" phrase. Our own prejudices and preconceptions alter our views and reactions, often preventing us from standing in the other fellow's shoes. Again, this situation could have played out in most any neighborhood on the globe, but this particular locale shows various ethnic and religious groups are still grappling with what it means to live together - despite the years of wars and unrest. We don't see a great deal of Middle Eastern cinema, but three days after I watched this film, it became the first ever movie from Lebanon to receive an Oscar nomination (Best Foreign Language Film) ... proving yet again that the language of cinema is universal.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan] Official site [United States]

Country:

France Cyprus Belgium Lebanon USA

Language:

Arabic

Release Date:

25 June 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Insult

Filming Locations:

Beirut, Lebanon

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,957, 14 January 2018

Gross USA:

$1,001,305

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,601,603

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ezekiel Films, Tessalit Productions, Rouge International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (HD)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1