Incendies (2010)
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After the death of their mother, twins travel to her native land to uncover a hidden past and fulfill her final wishes.
The story
Following the death of their mother, Nawal, an Arab immigrant in Canada, twins Jeanne and Simon meet with a family friend to settle her affairs. Nawal's will stipulates that they must find her mysterious brother and her father, both of whom they were previously unaware of. To receive her proper burial, the siblings must travel to her native country in the Levant. While the country remains unnamed, the narrative explores the heavy influence of the Lebanese Civil War. The twins embark on a journey to uncover the truth of their mother's life and the secrets she kept while living in exile.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After their mother Nawal dies, twins Jeanne and Simon are tasked by a notary to find her long-lost brother and father to fulfill her final wishes. Upon traveling to her homeland in the Levant, they uncover her tragic history: she was a survivor of a brutal civil war who was separated from her son and later imprisoned as 'The Woman Who Sings.' They eventually discover that her son, Nihad, was captured and turned into a soldier and torturer. In a shocking twist, they learn that Nihad is both their brother and their father, as he was the man who raped Nawal. The twins find Nihad in Canada and deliver two letters: one expressing the truth of his role as a rapist and father, and another expressing the love of a mother for her son. Nihad is left devastated by the truth as the twins depart.
- First release year
- 2010
- Runtime (minutes)
- 130
- Production countries
- Canada
- Original languages
- French
- Directors
- Denis Villeneuve
- Writers
- Denis Villeneuve · screenplay; Valérie Beaugrand-Champagne · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Lubna Azabal · Nawal; Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin · Jeanne; Maxim Gaudette · Chamseddine; Rémy Girard · Simon
- Genres
- mystery; drama; war drama
- Themes
- war; identity; family; trauma
- Tone and mood
- dramatic; somber
- Premise and plot tags
- mystery; drama; war; non-linear narrative
- Source material / true-story basis
- Wajdi Mouawad's play of the same name
- Reception
- The film received widespread critical acclaim both in Canada and internationally, being praised for its emotional impact and acting.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 91% · scale: percentage · review count: 124; Metacritic · score: 80 · scale: 100 · review count: 42
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Foreign Language Film · Nominated; Genie Award · Best Motion Picture · Won; Genie Award · Best Actress · Won; Genie Award · Best Director · Won; Prix Jutra · Best Film · Won; Prix Jutra · Best Director · Won; Prix Jutra · Best Actress · Won
- Production trivia
- The film was the only one to win both the Toronto and Vancouver International Film Festival Awards for Best Canadian Film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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