Underneath the Insult: can years of frustration between nationalities be solved by a court case?
For the average Western viewer, The Insult presents an unfamiliar concept: clashing Arab nationalities. Most people in the West see the Arab world as a cohesive unit as opposed to countries with independent cultures, languages, religions, and nations. The Insult (or قضية رقم ٢٣ in Arabic ), directed by Ziad Doueiri, portrayed this concept with a struggle between Palestinian refugees and Lebanese citizens in Lebanon.
In this movie, a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon offhandedly insults a Christian Lebanese man during a disagreement about building construction. The Lebanese man, Tony, demands an apology from Yasser, the Muslim refugee, but Yasser refuses. More insults follow, and eventually physical assaults. The situation is blown out of control and ultimately brings both men to court. These insults release years’ worth of underlying frustration with the opposing group. As the trial begins and gains national and international attention, the rift grows between the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and the Lebanese Christians, resulting in riots and hate crimes. This chaos that erupts in Beirut was caused by a few, simple words between men too prideful to admit their mistakes.
The Insult has incited varying reactions internationally. This film, although banned in Jordan and Palestine, has attracted Western attention and was even nominated for the American 90th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. This is not the first time Doueiri’s work has been protested though; in 2012 his film The Attack was banned in countries which belonged to the Arab League because it violated a boycott of Israel. While The Insult did not violate any treaties, it did show a side of life in the seemingly-harmonious Lebanon wishes not to portray.
Similar to other international films, the subtitles in The Insult unfortunately do not translate directly. While they do convey the overall meaning, specific words (such as the insults) do not completely match the English subtitles. While this may seem like a minor issue, since the plot of this movie focuses on an insult, it is very noticeable. The dialogue should be translated as accurately as possible.
While the translation was not perfect, The Insult was an incredible movie that touches on very real current social issues. To completely appreciate the context and references in this movie, one must have a basic understanding of Palestinian history, particularly the Nakba. If you don’t know a lot about the Palestinian struggle, this is your excuse to start learning. The acting, cinematography, and script came together to form an exciting and dramatic film from the beginning to the end. I definitely would recommend watching this movie.