The 11th BJIFF
“Tiantan Award” | Jury member Nadine Labaki: Taking Care of Reality with the Light of Film
As an international film award, the Tiantan Award of Beijing International Film Festival invites influential filmmakers from all over the world to serve as members of the international jury every year. This year, Tiantan Award invited Nadine Labaki, a famous Lebanese filmmaker. She is not only an excellent actress, but also an excellent director who always focuses on the deep reality of society. "I focus not only on women, but also on all people. Others always say I'm too idealistic, but maybe it's an ideal spotlight that can illuminate the corner that is not noticed in the dark", she said.
A Collection of works by Nadine Labaki, a jury member of the "Tiantan Award"
Nadine Labaki was born a year before Lebanon's civil war. She witnessed the suffering and displacement of ordinary Lebanese people. In her opinion, the greatest beauty of film art should come from reality. She believes that film should be a "weapon" that can challenge and change the cruel world. The hardships and tragedies in life will touch people even more when they are put on the screen. Nadine Labaki has such a belief and has the power to put it into action.

Nadine Labaki
Photographer: Gilles Khoury
After the civil war, Nadine Labaki was admitted to the audio-visual major in the university and became the first generation of local directors in Lebanon after the war. From the film debut Caramel to present, she has won nominations in Cannes and Academy Awards for many times despite her small number of works; she also won the Catholic humanitarian spirit award in the 64th Festival de Cannes with the film Where Do We Go Now, and gained a great international reputation with the film Cafarnaúm.

Where Do We Go Now analyzes the problems of war and religion from the perspective of women
Nadine's films, deeply rooted in the real life of Lebanon, reflect the common social problems in the whole world. She doesn't peddle misery and show off mystery. In the real, simple images intertwined with sadness and joy, her films release a stirring power.

Nadine Labaki
Photographer: Gilles Khoury
Caramel, Nadine’s debut work, focuses on five women in a beauty salon in Lebanon. They are different in age, personality and fate. The only thing they have in common is that they have their own sweetness and bitterness. The film recounts women's emotional demands and self-identity in group portraits with a delicate, moving and sad style.

Caramel uses group portraits of women to show their emotions and dilemmas
The well-received Cafarnaúm has further focused on the strength of realness. The movie tells the story of a 12-year-old boy Zane who was not raised by his parents and sued his parents for negligence. In order to capture the real situation of children at the bottom society of Lebanon, Nadine used a large number of non-professional actors to reproduce their daily life in front of the camera. In the end, after spending three years in research, six months in shooting, and more than 500 hours in collecting materials, Nadine finally present this two-hour realism masterpiece.

Cafarnaúm deeply reflects the suffering of children at the bottom of Lebanon
Nadine Labaki says, "I hope my film can become a force to change the world." Observing reality with images is also the mission of many filmmakers throughout their life. It is not only a cherish to our world, but also an awe to the film itself. As a member of the international jury of this year’s Tiantan Award, Nadine Labaki will also work with several other judges to make those powerful works visible to more people. In September, let's meet at the Beijing International Film Festival, meet at the Tiantan Award and enjoy every amazing film.