Civilisées
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{{use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Civilisées (A Civilized People)
| image =
| caption =
| writer = Randa Chahal Sabag
| starring = Jalila Baccar
Carmen Lebbos
Tamim Chahal
Myra Maakaron
Bruno Todeschini
| director = Randa Chahal Sabag
| producer = Daniel Toscan du Plantier
Frédéric Sichler
| cinematography = Ricardo Jacques
Gale Breidi
Roby Breidi
| editing = Juliette Weifling
| studio = Euripide Productions{{cite web |title=Civilisées |url=https://www.unifrance.org/film/16045/civilisees |website=Unifrance |access-date=4 July 2023}}
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|1999|9|4|Venice Film Festival}}
| country = Lebanon
| music = Ziad Rahbani
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Civilisées (A Civilized People or Al Mutahaddirat) is a 1999 Lebanese dark comedy drama film written and directed by filmmaker Randa Chahal Sabag.{{cite web |title=Civilisees (Civilized People) |url=http://www.arabfilmfestival.org/film_detail.php?id=885 |website=Arab Film Festival |access-date=4 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830120911/http://www.arabfilmfestival.org/film_detail.php?id=885 |archive-date=August 30, 2012}} The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 4, 1999 and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film was also screened at the Arab Film Festival in San Francisco, California.
Premise
During the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), many well-off Lebanese families fled the country to look for their personal interests internationally, leaving their residences under the care of maids and laborers from Egypt, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. The film draws a portrait of a war-tormented Beirut neighborhood, and the love between a Muslim militia fighter and a Christian maid.
Cast
- Jalila Baccar as Viviane
- Tamim Chahal as Samir
- Myrna Maakaron as Souad
- Carmen Lebbos as Najat
- Sotigui Kouyaté as Ousmane
- Renée Deek as Thérèse
- Bruno Todeschini as Antoine
Release
Due to the controversial topic of the film and its critique of the Lebanese elite,{{Cite journal |last=Hoang |first=Mai |date=March 2004 |title=Lebanese Filmmaker: Randa Chahal Sabbag |url=https://www.worldpress.org/mideast/1803.cfm |journal=World Press Review |volume=51 |issue=3 |access-date=July 4, 2023}} it had only one screening in Lebanon at the Beirut International Film Festival, and was also later banned by the Lebanese Film Commission. However, it received positive responses from international audiences, including at film festivals in Italy, France, and Canada.
Accolades
In 2000, the film won the Nestor Almendros Award at the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival.{{Cite web |date=2001 |title=Human Rights Watch World Report 2001 |url=https://www.hrw.org/legacy/wr2k1/print/filmfestival.pdf |access-date=July 4, 2023 |website=hrw.org}} At the 1999 Venice Film Festival, the film won the UNESCO Award (tied with Zion, Auto-Emancipation) and was nominated for the Cinema of the Present - Lion of the Year Award.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-29 |title=A Civilized People {{!}} Civilisées |url=https://www.olharesdomediterraneo.org/a-civilized-people-civilisees_om2022/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Olhares do Mediterrâneo |language=pt-PT}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|tt0209973}}
- {{Rotten Tomatoes|a_civilized_people|A Civilized People}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Civilisees}}
Category:1999 black comedy films
Category:1999 comedy-drama films
Category:1999 multilingual films
Category:1990s French-language films
Category:1990s Arabic-language films
Category:Lebanese Civil War films
Category:Lebanese comedy-drama films
Category:Films directed by Randa Chahal Sabag
Category:Interfaith romance films
Category:Lebanese multilingual films
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