Nadine Labaki will discover if 'Capernaum' has won an Oscar on Sunday night. Reuters
Nadine Labaki will discover if 'Capernaum' has won an Oscar on Sunday night. Reuters
Nadine Labaki will discover if 'Capernaum' has won an Oscar on Sunday night. Reuters
Nadine Labaki will discover if 'Capernaum' has won an Oscar on Sunday night. Reuters

'Lebanon is proud of you': Saad Hariri supports Nadine Labaki ahead of the Oscars


Emma Day
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She's already made history as the first female Arab filmmaker to win a major prize at Cannes, and the first female Lebanese filmmaker to be nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, among her numerous other accolades.

And while Nadine Labaki won't find out if she's won an Academy Award for another few hours, she has already won the hearts of those in her home nation.

The Lebanese director, whose film Capernaum has been bestowed with numerous trophies this awards season, was the subject of Prime Minister Saad Hariri's latest social media post.

Ahead of the 2019 Academy Awards on February 24, the Lebanese politician sent his congratulations to Labaki on her success, and wished her luck at the Los Angeles ceremony.

"I wish all the best to Nadine Labaki and the crew of the film, Capernaum, in its nomination for Oscars," Hariri posted on Twitter on Saturday evening.

"Our hearts are with you and all of Lebanon is proud of you, Nadine Labaki."

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has sent several messages of support to Nadine Labaki. Reuters
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has sent several messages of support to Nadine Labaki. Reuters

It's not the first supportive message the prime minister has shared in honour of the director, who scooped the prestigious Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival last year.

"Congratulations to the director Nadine Labaki and all the crew of the film Capernaum," Hariri tweeted at the time. "All of Lebanon is proud of your success, Nadine."

Capernaum is Labaki's third film and tells the story of children in the slums of Beirut, using a cast of non-actors.

The main storyline follows a 12-year-old boy who decides to sue his abusive parents, who he's already fled from, for the "crime" of giving him life.

Labaki, who was also behind 2007's Caramel, is the only female director nominated in the feature-film categories at this year's Oscars, which will kick off at the Dolby Theatre at 5pm Pacific Standard Time (5am UAE time on Monday).

Ahead of the ceremony, Capernaum has won praise from some of Hollywood's most revered names, including media mogul Oprah Winfrey.

"Look who came for lunch, director extraordinaire Nadine Labaki and her producer husband Khaled," the talk show host and philanthropist captioned a shot of the three on her Instagram page this month, as she invited the filmmakers to her home.

The producer and author also had high praise for Labaki's Oscar-nominated film, adding: "I love their movie Capernaum so much. If you get the chance, see it".

The film also found a fan in Oscar-nominated actress Glenn Close, who praised Labaki's work on the Bafta red carpet.

"It moved me to my absolute core," said Close of Capernaum, citing it as the best film she had seen this year. Actor Jonathan Pryce agreed, calling the drama "extraordinary".

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How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019

December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'

JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.

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SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue. 

SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."

October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'

MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.

“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December." 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Brief scores:

Liverpool 3

Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'

Manchester United 1

Lingard 33'

Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)

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The flights

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Marital status: Separated with two young daughters

Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo

Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian

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Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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