Lebanese director Nadine Labaki revealed at the Red Sea Film Festival that she is developing her next directorial project, with shooting potentially starting next year. The film will expand beyond Lebanon to multiple countries, marking a shift from her previous works focused on Lebanese society. Labaki discussed the emotional challenges following her 2018 hit Capernaum, which became the highest-grossing Arabic film ever.
Background on Capernaum
Nadine Labaki's 2018 film Capernaum achieved remarkable success, earning the Jury Prize at Cannes and an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film, making her the first female Arab director nominated in that category. The story of a young refugee boy suing his parents for neglect resonated globally, especially in China, leading to over $68 million in worldwide box office earnings—the highest for any Arabic or Middle Eastern film.
Emotional Toll and Break from Directing
Despite the accolades, Labaki described 2019 as 'the hardest year of my life' emotionally. The film's production, involving non-professional actors like lead Zain Al Rafeea—a real refugee—exposed her to deep suffering. Criticism arose over alleged exploitation of child actors and poverty, though Labaki noted her team helped Al Rafeea resettle in Norway and established scholarships for other child participants.
To recover, Labaki stepped back from directing, focusing on acting in projects like the Arabic adaptation of Perfect Strangers and The Sand Castle, both Netflix hits. 'I needed to feel like I was working, but I was not ready to start working on another film of my own,' she said.
New Project Details
Now ready to return, Labaki is writing her next feature. 'I'm working on it... hopefully, if everything goes well, we'll be shooting next year,' she shared at the Variety Lounge during the Red Sea Film Festival, where she serves as a jury member. Unlike her prior films—Caramel (2007) and Where Do We Go Now? (2011)—this one aims for an international scope: 'I might be happening in different countries… this is what I'm aiming for.' She emphasized the project's complexity, noting it will require time to shoot.
Challenges in Arab Cinema
Labaki highlighted the difficulties of filmmaking in the Arab region, including limited local funding, leading to reliance on Western sources. However, she never felt pressured by an agenda from funders, driven instead by her 'own obsessions.' She views cinema as a vital tool to 'express pent-up anger' and spotlight injustices, especially through authentic storytelling with non-actors, as in Capernaum. 'We were the intruders coming from outside,' she explained of adapting to their world for realism.