149. Nezouh; movie review

 

NEZOUH

Cert 12A

104 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate threat, violence, language

It is hard to imagine 80 years on, but my parents' early years were in a city that was reduced to rubble by bombing raids.

They were taken in gas masks made for babies and children and taken to Andersen shelters as the Luftwaffe did its worst in Coventry.

Indeed, my grandparents had to move with my dad because their house was damaged beyond repair.

The residual mental scars were similar to the Syrian family highlighted in Soudade Kaadan's Nezouh.

This is the story of the country's civil war, seen through the eyes of Zeina, played by the excellent Hala Zein.

She, her mother (Kinda Alloush) and father (Samer al Masri) are the few remaining in their homes as intense fighting and bombing have reduced their city to rubble.

Their father is insistent that they stay, cobbling together a generator and going on hazardous forays for food and water.

But as their situation becomes more and more untenable, it is clear that he is either delusional or suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Meanwhile, through a hole in her home's roof, Zeina finds an unlikely teenage romance and dreams of gentler times.

The scale of the Syrian conflict has been so great that it has been challenging to comprehend it from afar,

Kaadan's movie sharpens the focus by concentrating on one family's fundamental needs during the fighting and their respective reactions to what is happening.

Consequently, it is revealing and riveting, aided by three outstanding performances.

Some may argue that it is too whimsical because it is seen through the eyes of a teenager. I would disagree.

 

Reasons to watch: Revealing and riveting

Reasons to avoid: Too whimsical for some

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8.5/10

Did you know? The Syria crisis, currently in its 13th year, remains the largest displacement crisis in the world, with over 12 million forcibly moved from their homes in the region.

The final word. Soudade Kaadan: “I wanted to show how our society is closed and protective, but, at the same time, friendly, and gradually opening up to the world." The Italian Reve

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