Sukkar banat (2007)

Director:

Nadine Labaki

Writers:

Rodney El Haddad (writer)
Jihad Hojeily (writer)

Release Date:

9 August 2007 (Lebanon)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A romantic comedy centered on the daily lives of five Lebanese women living in Beirut. |

Plot Keywords:

Virginity | Beauty Salon | Beautiful Woman | Women | Affair

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Nadine Labaki	...	Layale
Yasmine Elmasri	...	Nisrine
Joanna Moukarzel	...	Rima
Gisèle Aouad	...	Jamale Tarabay
Adel Karam	...	Youssef
Sihame Haddad	...	Rose
Aziza Semaan	...	Lili
Fatmeh Safa	...	Siham - the beautiful customer
Dimitri Staneofski	...	Charles
Fadia Stella	...	Christine
Ismaïl Antar	...	Bassam
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Victoria Bader	...	Beauty salon customer
Yousra Karam	...	Beauty salon customer
Nancy	...	Woman in taxi

Also Known As:

Caramel (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements involving sexuality, language and some smoking.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

France | Lebanon

Language:

Arabic | French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Ireland:PG | Germany:o.Al.

Filming Locations:

Beirut, Lebanon

Company:

Les Films des Tournelles

Trivia:

Lebanon's Official Submission to the Best Foreign Language Film Category of the 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008).

Soundtrack:

Mreyte Ya Mreyte

Good Performances / Enjoyable Film

This was the official submission of Lebanon for Best Foreign Film in 2007. Though the ones selected appear a bit repetitive (seems to be a war theme; there is no good reason "Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days" was not selected except for that), this is not really "best film of the year" quality. This might lead to some disappointment for those who thought it was, as a few comments seem to.

But, it is a good movie. It has been compared to "Beauty Shop," which I have not seen, so I don't know. The film, though foreign, is rather universal in many ways all the same -- the cell phone, for instance, is familiar presence. And, the women who work at the shop all seem pretty independent, not as traditional as some members of their family. There is also someone who brought to mind a young Melissa Etheridge (in more ways than one). The older single mom fighting aging and struggling to get acting jobs also seems familiar. One can imagine this film, e.g., taking place in Spain with little altered.

But, from my limited knowledge, Lebanon is fairly cosmopolitan vis-a-vis various other places in the Middle East. And, there are reminders, including the owner of the shop living with her parents, and the problems a young Muslim woman ready to get married has when her finance doesn't know she isn't a virgin. The mixture of Christian and Muslim also takes an added meaning given the setting. This adds foreign flavor to a film that still remains largely universal.

Anyway, as to the film itself. It is an ensemble piece, with the director/star having a slightly superior role, though the older seamstress that must deal with a mentally retarded aunt or whatever also has a lot of screen time. The owner of the shop is having an affair with a married man while a lovelorn traffic cop pines for her. This latter part is touching, and the actor here (as does an older gentleman who favors the seamstress) is charming in his small role. Such touches often make movies, and it helps this one.

Overall, I cared for these people, and thought the performances were good and true to life. Someone noted the film's stories ultimately are a bit thin. This is probably true, but they are good all the same, and in some ways quite touching. I was not wowed or anything, but simply thought it was a good film. Not "best" material, but no need for that to enjoy things.