Zozo

The plot is rather predictable and on the simplistic side, whether it's the accidental tragedy of Zozo's family, or his later cultural shock. The acting and cast are good. But I was especially spell bounded by the music and the photography of the film. The film looks low budget and didn't pretend to be otherwise. But it attempted to draw on its strength in the forgotten tragedy in Lebanon and the strong acting and cinematography. And movie succeeded for the most part IMHO. As I was watching the film, I couldn't help but thinking in the back of my head of the more recent tragedy in southern Lebanon, perhaps more death and destruction this time around? How many Zozo were created this time? Marx said that history repeats itself the first time is tragedy, the second time farce. To those who were unfortunate enough to be part of it, it always will be just tragedy.

The movie deals with the agony of a young Lebanese boy who witnesses the death of his family and is when he is finally sent to live in Sweden with his grandparents, finds himself out-casted in a foreign society.

Josef Fares, cleverly represents the Lebanse society living through a horrible situation. The characterization and narrative allow the audience to strongly connect with the film as it something that we as Lebanese feel deeply connected with, having being affected by the civil war in one way or another.

From the technical side, the cinematography and use of visual effects were very well done again, inviting the audience into the world of the film. As an aspiring Lebanese filmmaker, it gives me a great feeling to know that there are talented Lebanese filmmakers all over the whole who still believe and are devoted to developing the Lebanese film industry. I strongly applaud director Josef Fares and I look forward to watching more of his films.

The young Arabian boy, Zozo lives a fairly normal life with his family in Beirut. He's got good friends, and goes to an Arabic school. His grandparents live in Sweden, and have been motivating him and his family to come too. Away from the war. To a place what they saw as a paradise. A place where there was not war. As he described it to his friends, A country with beautiful girls and pretty houses.

From that ideal life, the movie leads you through the tragedy that Zozo experiences.

Zozo is an amazingly beautiful film (but yet no where near dramatic), that shows the world from an dreaming, mature eleven year old boy's point of view. The poetic and surrealistic filming captures the emotions in an extraordinary way, and surreal chapters of his dreams bring you closer to his mind and imagination.

I've never before cried over a movie. But the thought of this movie actually only being half fictional, since there is, and always will be war, made me feel utterly selfish, and at these circumstances you must either be a rock hard sailor or an emotionally dead soldier to at least not be a little touched by this emotional and poetic filming, and feel sympathy for the people who have to go through these circumstances. When they are forced into a war they never asked for. The victims of political arguments.

All four of my grandparents hail from Lebanon so this warm and engaging film really hit home with me. I was never able to take my grandparents back to Lebanon because the civil war was going on. This film makes it clear how horrible and wrenching that civil war was. Zozo is an 11 year old boy who lives with his parents and two siblings in an apartment in Beirut. Just as his family is able to flee Beirut tragedy strikes. Zozo finds solace in a talking chicken (trust me-- it works) and a young girlfriend. He finds peace and nurturing in Sweden with his beloved grandparents but is still in many ways an outcast. The film tells a beautiful, heartwarming story.

The story of a boy who's living in Beirut during the war, He and his family are waiting for their papers in order to leave Lebanon and seek refuge in Sweden.... The horrors of war and the way it affects civilians is shown in this movie and it won't leave you untouched. But even in the most serious situations there is room for jokes and you will alternate between crying and laughing.

This is one of the strongest movies I've seen! I've never admired any director or even known that they were alive until yesterday when I saw Zozo. With three great movies (this one is the best) Joseph Fares has shown that he truly masters the art of telling a story.

I sincerely hope this movie is translated into English and other languages and if it doesn't get nominated for best foreign movie something is not right.

Don't miss this movie!