The Insult (L'Insulte)

It’s a typical summer afternoon in Beirut when the simple issue of a broken drainpipe causes an argument between two men: hot-headed Tony, who’s Christian, and construction foreman Yasser, who happens to be a Palestinian refugee. During the dispute one of them utters an unforgivable insult, the catalyst that leads first to injury and eventually to an explosive courtroom case that gains national attention and fuels a much larger political fire. This complex and riveting drama is at once a layered exploration of the history of the Lebanese Civil War and a timely examination of the continued conflicts in the region. With faultless filmmaking by Lebanese-born Ziad Doueiri, this extraordinary film is a relevant reminder that no matter our politics or where we live, our tendency to hold on tight to the past can prevent us from moving into a better future.