Nadine Labaki has garnered much critical acclaim over the last year after her directorial debut Capernaum broke several records in the entertainment industry and was nominated for an Academy Award. And now, after a brief stint behind the camera, the Lebanese actress-turned-filmmaker will be gracing our screens again when her latest work in 1982 hits cinemas.
The debut feature by director Oualid Mouaness, Labaki will play the role of Yasmeen an anguished schoolteacher amid the 1982 Siege of Beirut. The story tells the tale of an 11-year-old boy, Wissam, who is trying to drum up the courage to tell his classmate Joanna that he loves her. Before he can do so an air strike hits Beirut and the war begins.
1982, which is currently in post-production, has just been announced as one of the Arab films being shown at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Taking to Instagram, the organisers of Dubai’s Film Festival wrote, “one of this year’s Arab films at #TIFF19 is Lebanese film 1982, directed by Oualid Mouaness and starring @NadineLabaki. #SupportArabCinema.”
TIFF is kicking off on 5 September in Canada.
