Where Do We Go Now?
OzAsia Film Festival
Mercury Cinema
In a remote and isolated village with half the inhabitants Christian and the other half Muslim mainly co-habiting in some kind of mutual harmony. It’s a long tale of women in black and driven by destiny.
Director and Lead Actor Nadine Labaki plays a Christian widow, Amale who has a mutual attraction with Rabih played by Julian Farhat who is Muslim. While there is an inclusive community spirit between the two religious congregations, it’s the women who are more open and accepting whereas the men less accommodating. They prefer to keep the segregation between Christians and Muslims and limiting social interactions within the village.
The film is about the women of the village being the main drivers for a peaceful living arrangement despite everyone’s differences. There is a civil war going on in the city and they try at all costs to keep their men from creating the same civil unrest that so far has been avoided in their town.
The characters in this film are instantly likable especially the women. They are fun, charming and unapologetic. They collectively scheme and conspire with the each other and the town’s Priest and Imam to make sure that the peace in the village is maintain at all costs. This ensures plenty of hilarity with crazy ideas involving pretty Ukrainian dancers and hashish.
This movie will make you laugh and cry at the same time. There is a delicate mix of humour and tragedy with a strong message of co-existence and unity. Never underestimate a mother or women’s love and her determination should never be questioned or reckoned with when she is on a mission.
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