Incendies

Wow. What can I say about Incendies? I missed it at VIFF because it was sold out. That says something doesn't it?  So of course, Oscar short-list or not, it was definitely on my list to see.

When Jeanne and Simon's mother Nawal passes away, she leaves them with two missions - to find their father and brother.  It came as a surprise to them since they thought their father was dead, and that they had a brother.  Jeanne is receptive and embarks on a journey through which she begins to learn about her mother's life, such that she convinces her brother to embrace his mission, and complete it.  Past and present are interwoven, and it takes some getting used to realizing which part is the past and which is the present; which religion did what.  As the searches dig deeper into their family history, so comes the twists and turns that makes for a film that demands us to question and think.  The film is divided into chapters with headings after locations and names, thus helping organize and keeping the audience on track as to the horrors and reality of what was.

Striking and bleak, Incendies reminds us that our parents were also young with a history that shapes us into who we are, and that for better or worse, it us for us to decide whether our own story is one of love or hate.  There is no right answer, because you'll find one plus one can equal one.