Incendies -2010-2010 |best|

To understand Incendies , one must understand Nawal. Her life is divided into a triptych of pain.

5/5 stars. A modern classic of world cinema. Incendies -2010-2010

Incendies (2010) is a haunting Canadian mystery-drama directed by Denis Villeneuve To understand Incendies , one must understand Nawal

is widely considered one of the best films of the 21st century and currently holds a 91% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes . A modern classic of world cinema

The title Incendies (French for "fires" or "scorching") refers to the literal burning of villages, but also to the burning away of language. When Jeanne is forced to translate the Arabic lyrics of a children’s song sung by the torturer, she discovers it is a lullaby her mother used to hum. Words are not bridges; they are weapons. The film argues that war reduces humanity to silence and screams.

During her imprisonment, Nawal is brought a prisoner to torture. She is ordered to rape him with a metal bar. She refuses, but as the prison fights break down, she is forced to witness the atrocities. The prisoner she was supposed to mutilate? It is her son, Nihad—the man with the scar. He does not know her. She recognizes him by his heel. In her grief, she carves four gashes into his back with a razor to mark him.