STORIES AND ACTIVATIONS THAT CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION
Nadine Labaki’s Capharnaüm Awarded Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival
Following a 15-minute standing ovation that marked its May 17 premiere at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki’s latest feature film ‘Capharnaüm’ won the coveted Jury Prize two days later, following rave reviews from critics and the international press. The storyline is centered around Zain, a 12-year-old boy born without a birth certificate who decides to sue his own parents for bringing him into the world. The film was also in the running for the Palme d’or, which ultimately went to Japanese family drama ‘Manbiki Kazoku’ (Shoplifters). Nadine’s win was widely celebrated by internet users and the media, reinforcing her status as one of the most successful and impactful women filmmakers in the Arab World.
French-lebanese Actress Manal Issa Protests Gaza Attacks on the Cannes Red Carpet
As she walked the ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ premiere red carpet, French-lebanese actress Manal Issa raised a sign with “STOP THE ATTACK ON GAZA!!” written on it, in protest of Israel’s recent attacks on Gaza, which have resulted in the massacre of over 60 unarmed Palestinian protesters. Photos of her act of solidarity were picked up shortly after by Internet users in Lebanon and the region, who commended the actress for using her high-profile red carpet appearance to take a stand against the massacre and show support for Gaza’s people. International websites were also quick to spot the sign, which appeared in a number of articles as one of the red carpet highlights of the festival.
Blue-painted Election Camel Sparks Social Media Outrage amid Election Season
Lebanese Internet users were outraged by pictures of a Camel and other farm animals that were painted blue by a few enthusiastic Future Movement Supporters to show political support amid rising election season drama. The photos went viral on social media, with more and more people jumping in to condemn such animal cruelty, which prompted Prime Minister Saad Hariri to issue an apology after animal welfare NGO Animals Lebanon representatives alerted him to the situation, specifying that “these are spontaneous initiatives not organized by the Future Party” in an official statement. “It is absolutely absurd to be abusing a number of animals to show political support. Such actions are being rejected by society and the government,” a Facebook post published by the NGO in the wake of the incident read.