It happened decades ago, but the wounds are still fresh. Hundreds of thousands were killed while thousands still remain refugees this day. The blood that was shed from the Lebanese Civil War isn’t forgotten, especially to Tony Hanna and Yasser Salameh.
Tony Hanna, played by Adel Karam, is a Lebanese Christian and Yasser Salameh, played by Kamel El Basha, is a Palestinian refugee.
When Hanna’s drain pipe is broken, Salameh attempts to fix it under state law free of charge. However, Hanna refuses the help of Salameh, which causes an emotional exchange between the two that spills into court and captivates the country through a court case.
If you’re unfamiliar with the history of the Lebanese Civil War, director Ziad Doueiri makes it clear that the Christian Lebanese and Palestinians are two sides with a tumultuous past. When you walk away from this film, you surprisingly gain some knowledge about Lebannon’s history.
Prior to seeing The Insult, it might help to read a little bit into the history of the Lebanese Civil War so you can have better understanding of the political jargon.
The Oscar nominated the film for Best Foreign Language Film from Lebanon is an emotional rollercoaster that puts the use of our words into perspective.
If I were to tell this plot to anyone, it would come off like Neighbors 3 starring Zac Efron and Seth Rogen.
Salameh fixes an illegal drain pipe for free, but Hanna destroys it and refuses to accept his apology. We’ve seen plots like this before turn into a wacky spat between two goofy people.
But this conflict between the two men is personal and political. There’s a sense of honor each has to their culture. If one apologizes to the other, he will not only tarnish his masculinity, but let down their culture as well.
Each man has a wife, who provide the voices of reason. Hanna’s wife, played by Rita Hayek, wants her husband to move on from the argument when he cannot let it go. Then there’s Salameh’s wife, who doesn’t want her husband to ruin his career over a few words.
Between Hanna and Salameh, they’re more than just words; they’re battle lines drawn.
When the two first enter court, there’s an intense exchange between Hanna, Salameh and the judge. Following this moment, Hanna takes an appeal to a higher court, to where the country picks sides as well.
Outside the courthouse riots break loose, fists are thrown and words are exchanged while the flags of both sides are flown in the streets. Just over a minute argument, it seems as if the Civil War may break out again.
However, director Ziad Doueiri simply tells us they’re only words; get over it.
Although it’s been decades since the dust settled from the Civil War, it doesn’t take much to throw peace into hot water. Instead of endless conflict over the years, there must come a time where we can look past it not only for today, but the future as well.
Those who weren’t even born during the Civil War are out in the streets yelling at fellow countrymen and women. For the ones who lived through the brutality, they shouldn’t want the conflict to bleed into the next generation. Encouraging division may cause more lives lost in the future and who wants that?
At the end of the day, we’re all human. We shouldn’t let words bring hate to our neighbors and cause division for years to come. As much as words hurt, we must find the strength to be the stronger person and move on.
Like a lawyer says in The Insult, “No one side has a monopoly on suffering.”
IMAGE TAKEN from The961
