Nadine Labaki wears Dress, Elie Saab. Photographed by Drew Jarrett for Vogue Arabia, October 2018
It already scooped this year’s Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize, and now Lebanese film Capharnaüm is in the running for another prestigious award. The politically charged drama, directed by Vogue Arabia cover star Nadine Labaki, has earned a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Golden Globes, which are set to take place on January 6, 2019.
Capharnaüm will go up against contenders including Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma, Hirokazu Koreeda’s Shoplifters, and Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s Never Look Away on the night. The nomination marks Labaki’s first-ever nod for a Golden Globe, and is Lebanon’s second-ever nomination at the annual awards, according to Variety. “It’s almost too good to be true,” the director told the publication after the news was revealed. “At the end of the day it’s a small film that we made ourselves. It’s really homemade, so it’s a big achievement for everyone who worked on the film, and for every actor who was in it.”
The film – which tells the story of a neglected 12-year-old boy in Beirut, who takes his parents to court for giving him life in a world of pain and suffering – received a 15-minute standing ovation following its premiere at Cannes in May. Labaki, who made her directorial debut with 2007’s critically acclaimed Caramel (in which she also played the lead role), is also hotly tipped to enter the Oscars race with Capharnaüm, with nominations set to be announced on January 22.
“Making movies is what I’m good at,” the director told Vogue Arabia during her cover interview this October. “Cinema is the means through which I can best express myself. I use it to limit the effects of the destruction all around us, and to assume my responsibility as a member of this society but also as an artist. I believe equally in the importance of the artist’s commitment to defend her society’s causes as I believe in cinema’s ability to effect change.”
Egyptian-American actor Rami Malek also scored a nomination for the Golden Globes 2019, for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. The actor will go up against Bradley Cooper, Willem Dafoe, Lucas Hedges, and John David Washington for Best Actor in a Drama Film. Click here to see a full list of all nominees.
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