Caramel (Arabic: سكر بنات)
Caramel was distributed in over 40 countries, easily becoming the most internationally acclaimed and exposed Lebanese film to date. The story focuses on the lives of five Lebanese women dealing with issues such as forbidden love, binding traditions, repressed sexuality, the struggle to accept the natural process of age, and duty versus desire. Labaki's film is unique for not showcasing a war-ravaged Beirut but rather a warm and inviting locale where people deal with universal issues.
The title Caramel refers to an epilation method that consists of heating sugar, water and lemon juice. Labaki also symbolically implies the "idea of sweet and salt, sweet and sour" and showcases that everyday relations can sometimes be sticky but ultimately the sisterhood shared between the central female characters prevails.
International Student Concerns committee at the Council of Graduate Students has organized a film series on "Love and Sexuality in the Middle East".
This film screening and discussion, hosted by NELC Doctoral Candidate Ehsan Estiri, is part of the: SPRING 2019 INTERNATIONAL FILM & DISCUSSION SERIES: "Love and Sexuality in the Middle East"
