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IMDbPro

Capernaum

Original title: Capharnaüm
  • 20182018
  • RR
  • 2h 6m
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
86K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,565
141
Capernaum (2018)
Watch ’Trailer [OV]’
Play trailer2:06
4 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Drama
While serving a five-year sentence for a violent crime, a 12-year-old boy sues his parents for neglect.While serving a five-year sentence for a violent crime, a 12-year-old boy sues his parents for neglect.While serving a five-year sentence for a violent crime, a 12-year-old boy sues his parents for neglect.
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
86K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,565
141
  • Director
    • Nadine Labaki
  • Writers
    • Nadine Labaki(screenplay)
    • Jihad Hojeily(screenplay)
    • Michelle Keserwany(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Zain Al Rafeea
    • Yordanos Shiferaw
    • Boluwatife Treasure Bankole
Top credits
  • Director
    • Nadine Labaki
  • Writers
    • Nadine Labaki(screenplay)
    • Jihad Hojeily(screenplay)
    • Michelle Keserwany(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Zain Al Rafeea
    • Yordanos Shiferaw
    • Boluwatife Treasure Bankole
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 465User reviews
    • 196Critic reviews
    • 75Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #93
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 37 wins & 55 nominations total

    Videos4

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 2:06
    Trailer [OV]
    Capernaum
    Trailer 2:10
    Capernaum
    Official US Trailer
    Trailer 2:09
    Official US Trailer
    Cate Blanchett's Films of Hope
    Clip 4:30
    Cate Blanchett's Films of Hope

    Photos128

    Capernaum (2018)
    Capernaum (2018)
    Capernaum (2018)
    Capernaum (2018)
    Capernaum (2018)
    Capernaum (2018)
    Capernaum (2018)
    Zain Al Rafeea in Capernaum (2018)
    Zain Al Rafeea in Capernaum (2018)
    Zain Al Rafeea in Capernaum (2018)
    Zain Al Rafeea in Capernaum (2018)
    Capernaum (2018)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Zain Al Rafeea
    Zain Al Rafeea
    • Zainas Zain
    Yordanos Shiferaw
    • Rahilas Rahil
    Boluwatife Treasure Bankole
    Boluwatife Treasure Bankole
    • Yonasas Yonas
    Kawsar Al Haddad
    • Souadas Souad
    Fadi Yousef
    • Selimas Selim
    • (as Fadi Kamel Yousef)
    Cedra Izzam
    • Sahar, the Sisteras Sahar, the Sister
    Alaa Chouchnieh
    • Asproas Aspro
    Elias Khoury
    • The Judgeas The Judge
    Mohammad Al Abdallah
    • Salahas Salah
    Mohamad Abdellatif
    • Street Kidas Street Kid
    Abdo Abdo
    • Notaryas Notary
    Hampig Abraham
    • Street Kidas Street Kid
    Jamil Ahmad
    • Street Kidas Street Kid
    Mohamad Akkar
    • Kidas Kid
    Elias Akobegia
    • Employer Snack Falafelas Employer Snack Falafel
    Riman Al Rafeea
    • Zain's Sisteras Zain's Sister
    Legamett Alamou
    • Prisoner Detention Centeras Prisoner Detention Center
    Majd Nabil Alhalabi
    • Street Kidas Street Kid
    • Director
      • Nadine Labaki
    • Writers
      • Nadine Labaki(screenplay)
      • Jihad Hojeily(screenplay)
      • Michelle Keserwany(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      All actors in Capernaum are people whose real life resembles that of the film. Thus, Zain's real life is similar (to some extent) to that of his character, as was Rahil, who was undocumented. For the character of Zain's mother, Nadine Labaki was inspired by a woman she met, who has 16 children and lives in the same conditions as those of Capernaum. Six of her children have died and others are in orphanages for lack of care. The one who plays the role of Kawthar really fed her children with sugar and ice cubes.
    • Goofs
      At 1hr 35mins, Zain ties Yonas's leg to the shoe stand to prevent him from following or wandering into busy traffic, but he tied the right leg in the initial scene and then after a cut back to that scene seconds later he is now tied by his left leg.
    • Quotes

      Zain: I want to make a complaint against my parents. I'd want adults to listen to me. I want adults who can't raise kids not to have any. What will I remember? Violence, insults or beatings, hit with chains, pipes, or a belt? The kindest words I heard were get out son of a whore! Bug off, piece of garbage! Life is a pile of shit. Not worth more than my shoe. I live in hell here. I burn like rotting meat. Life is a bitch.I thought we'd become good people, loved by all. But God doesn't want that for us. He'd rather we be washrags for others. The child you're carrying will be like I am.

    • Alternate versions
      The US release was cut by around 3 minutes. The main deletion is the sequence in which Cockroach-Man tries to help Rahil get a permit by pretending to be her new employer.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2019 (2019)

    User reviews465

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Well made but very difficult to watch....and not a film for everyone.
    "Capernaum" is a very unpleasant film that deals with very unpleasant situations and people. Because of that, it's not a film for kids to watch and I don't recommend anyone suffering from depression watch the movie....it's very hard to take and is brutal in its realism.

    The film is about a 12 year-old named Zain who lives in Lebanon and who physically looks like a 9 or 10 year-old...possibly because of malnutrition. The film begins with the boy in prison for stabbing someone and his parents have been called back to court because the boy is now suing them for bringing him life. The film then is a series of flashbacks which show how neglected the boy was. It became so bad that eventually he is taken in by an illegal alien and he takes care of her baby while she goes out looking for any work. Later, when she disappears, Zain continues caring for the baby and trying to work at the same time. It's a miserable existence and you know eventually it will end in violence.

    This film was made with a minimum of dialog and a plot that is hard to see without the story tearing at your heart. It's one of the more unpleasant movies I've seen in some time and implies many things that aren't overtly stated, such as pedophilia and other ghastly crimes. Hard to take...so much so that although it's an excellent character study, it's the sort of film few would really want to watch in the first place.
    helpful•38
    5
    • planktonrules
    • Jul 23, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 20, 2018 (Lebanon)
    • Countries of origin
      • Lebanon
      • France
      • Cyprus
      • Qatar
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • Arabic
      • Amharic
    • Also known as
      • Chaos
    • Filming locations
      • Cola, Beirut, Lebanon
    • Production companies
      • Mooz Films
      • Cedrus Invest Bank
      • Sunnyland Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $4,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,661,096
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $24,988
      • Dec 16, 2018
    • Gross worldwide
      • $64,417,003
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 6 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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