Incendies (2010)

Drama, Mystery, War

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writers: Valérie Beaugrand-Champagne, Wajdi Mouawad, Denis Villeneuve
Starring: Mustafa Kamel, Hussein Sami, Rémy Girard, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin

"The search began at the opening of their mother's will."

Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve's movie tells a tragic and touching story set in an unnamed Middle Eastern country (probably Lebanon) in the 1970s, during a war fueled by religious hate.

After an aging, expatriate woman living in Canada unexpectedly suffers a stroke at a community swimming pool, her grown-up twin children learn from her will that they have a brother about whom they knew nothing, and a father, still living, and they must travel back to their country of origin to deliver each of them a letter, to fulfill their late mother's dying wishes. Through a series of flashbacks of their mother as a young woman, we travel back to her war-torn homeland, and learn of her dark and terrible past.

Adapted by Villeneuve from Wajdi Mouawad's play of the same name, Incendies is raw and brutal look at the unending strife in the Middle East, but it's also an unforgettable mystery that keeps the audience riveted through one surprising plot turn after another. Watching this film can be a long, hard, and emotionally draining experience, but definitely one that richly rewards the time and effort invested.

Plot summary from IMDb: A mother's last wishes send twins Jeanne and Simon on a journey to the Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's acclaimed play, Incendies tells the powerful and moving tale of two young adults' voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars and enduring love.

Awards: Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 40 wins & 12 nominations.
Runtime: 139 min
R