Movie & Discussion: “Inch’Allah” – Montreal Sun. Oct. 14 at 1.30 pm

Join us this Sunday October 14th at 1.30 pm (movie starts 1.45 pm) to watch the newly-released movie Inch’Allah followed by a lively NCCAR-led group discussion. If you’ve seen the movie, participate in the discussion! Invite your friends and family. No registration required – simply join us!

Trailer: http://www.cinemamontreal.com/trailers/193659/Inch_Allah.html

Synopsis

(source: Toronto International Film Festival 2012)

Produced by the same team behind the Academy Award®–nominated Incendies and Monsieur Lazhar, Inch’Allah (Arabic for “God willing”) is an intense, politically charged drama that explores the impact and ramifications of Israel’s separation barrier on the divided populations of the West Bank. Pointedly, the film does so through the perspective of an outsider: Chloé (Evelyne Brochu), a Quebec doctor who works in a women’s health clinic on the Palestinian side of the barrier but resides in an apartment on the Israeli side. Though Chloé has adjusted to the daily grind of passing through the heavily guarded checkpoints to get to and from work, she is also constantly aware of the simmering violence that surrounds her.

Chloé’s perception of the bizarre, bisected world in which she finds herself is further shaded by the friendships she makes on either side of the barrier. Ava (Sivan Levy), a neighbour in Chloé’s apartment building who is serving her mandatory military service as a checkpoint guard, becomes Chloé’s frequent drinking companion, the two women routinely going out for nights on the town. On the other side, Chloé becomes close to one of her patients, Rand (Sabrina Ouazani), a young pregnant woman who lives in poverty, picking through garbage in search of reusable items. Rand’s family, especially her older brother Faysal (Yousef Sweid), is thoroughly committed to the cause of Palestinian liberation, and willing to take whatever measures are necessary.

Director Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette approaches this charged material with remarkable maturity and unerring skill, cleverly showing how Chloé’s relative freedom of movement offers her a unique overview of the dilemma while highlighting her status as an outsider. As she is repeatedly reminded, this is not her war, nor her suffering to bear, but she instinctively wants to help and tries to build bridges, and as her relationship with Rand grows, she is drawn further into her world. But when Rand goes into labour outside an army checkpoint – in a scene that forcefully brings home the heartbreaking absurdity of life in the West Bank – Chloé must make a choice that has enormous repercussions.

Trailer: http://www.cinemamontreal.com/trailers/193659/Inch_Allah.html

• Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette was born in Quebec.
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She has directed the documentaries Ceux qui savent encore rêver (04), Les mains du monde (04) and Si j’avais un chapeau (05).

Her features are Le Ring (07) and Inch’Allah (12).

• Sun. October 14th , 1.30 pm at box office to buy your own tickets. Movie starts at 1.45 pm. Discussion from 3.45 – 5.45 pm.