RUNNING TIME: 1:50
STARRING: Claude Baz Moussawbaa, Leyla Hakim, Nadine Labaki
DIRECTOR: Nadine Labaki
PRODUCER(S): Anne-Dominique Toussaint
WRITER(S): Rodney Al Haddid, Nadine Labaki
MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Women try to persuade their men to put a stop to war in this fusion of comedy and drama from director, screenwriter, and actress Nadine Labaki. Amale runs a café in a small Lebanese village where the local women, both Christian and Muslim, get together to talk, swap ideas, and share grief as the number who've lost sons or husbands in frequent skirmishes continues to grow. The fighting between religious and political factions has been going on for years, and one day Amale and her friends Afaf, Saydeh, Takla, and Yvonne decide it's time to stop talking about the fighting and do something to bring it to a halt. The local women join forces to distract their men, convinced if they put their minds on other things they won't worry so much about killing. Their efforts range from serving hashish-laced baked goods at a community get-together to hiring Ukrainian dancers to show off their charms to the menfolk. After a young man is killed in a gun battle, the women realize they need to take a stronger stand if they intend to make their home safe again; meanwhile, Christian Amale unwittingly strikes a blow for religious unity when she falls for handsome Muslim Rabih. Won the People's Choice Award at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.