omgggg fadaye7

No it's not cheap! H.A.R have you even seen the film or are you relying on press reports; because it seems that your Islamic roots are telling you that anything that contains nudity is cheap, without realizing the the human body, the world over, is considered an art form by many. This movie came from a tolerant place with an open mind. I understand the common generalization on this site that some of the latest female singers are using their bodies in order to become popular and prosperous, however NOT everything that contains nudity is a means to an end. I thank the Lord that my part of the Arab world is a more open and tolerant place than your part!

Whatever your part of the world is George, getting naked in front of your father is NOT an art whether you r a Christan, Muslim, Jew or belong religion or belief!
Good luck in showing your nude body to your family in your part of the world, hope they are enjoying it!

*** sorry i meant or belong to any religion or belief ...

even your part of the world banned the movie!

I totally agree with Tania...George...Ur part of the world obviously is not here..ur prob one of those guys who would die to see a naked women on TV...culturally, belief, and morals it is totally wrong...even if ur part of the world is different it still is wrong and a shame...maybe ur parents dont mind seeing u naked but others its a shame and a disgrace...to any religion or human out there...and here in America some of those movies would of have been banned

Here we are,

Everything start by claiming that we have to be open minded... it is our freedom to do whatever we want..
we want to be like american community.

Let me till you something.. Living in USA is sucks....
if the freedom like this I'll support the dectator...

Today we defend the nudity. tomorrow the porn. After tomorrow the gay rights.. then we will accept porn movie in our mosques and church. may be after that we'll defend a porn movie for someone personify Jesus..

Come on ppl.. Muslims and Christian. this is not a freedom.. this is just more retardation.

George i agree with you unfortunatly the Arab world is not ready for this kind of Art.
the movie shows some sort of reality that excists in the arab world yet the arab world still calims to b "pure" and " moral".

urm excuse me daniel but i don't think it is a case of whether the arab world is 'ready' for this kind of art. in ur eyes, and in ur culture this is art but according to our traditions and beliefs this kind of thing is unacceptable. we all have different standards and it would be wrong to force something which is against ours on our people simply because to u it is 'art' and some arabs desperately seek to be cool and go along with the western attitude that these movies are ok and let go of their roots. this kind of story is disgusting and if they want to make it in america and europe go ahead of it is deemed acceptable there but never will it be welcome in the middle east.

to layal,
i really agree with u layal 100%, i dont even think americans and europe already did that nude pictures and arts but if they did i dont think we should care about wat they do, and i think middle east shoul not go to this level, weather muslin christians or jews as they said up.

thank you
roxii

LAYAL. i agree with you ... in our traditions and beliefs this kind of thing is unacceptable. middle easterns history and belief do not supporte those kind of movies.. even though i am ALL for freedom of choice but whoever is middle eastern know that nudity is not higly looked upon. here in the US most do consider it as an art but then again middle easterns and western culture are so different

"Let me till you something.. Living in USA is sucks....
if the freedom like this I'll support the dectator..."

HAHAHAH maybe it sucks because you need to learn English to live there.

HI 2 all, allow me to say YES, its a disgrace that the arab world got this far with , what most of you call ART. im aussie/lebanese, born and living in austalia, and would never consider, that the movie is a success, its a disgrace, same goes for the movie caramel!!

Hi all,

I don't know where is the art in the "movie's nudity". This is ridiculous.
I don't think the teenagers have the same view for nudity.
Just go to any movie rating website and chick the rating of the movies that depends on nudity.
For Daniel I think this reality you are talking about in Arab world originally comes from watching movies like this.. I think "Yaqubian building" discusses this reality without nudity.

Out of the subject.. You don't have to be a good English writer to live and have fun in USA you just need to know how to communicate.

i absolutely LOVED caramel. what a FANTASTIC movie. nadine labky was so clever with the plot and character organisation. she tackled so many issues prominent yet hidden in the arab world. things such as homosexuality, mid life crisis, sex before marriage. it was perfect. i mean she actually tackled all these issues with respect towards graphics so as not to insult arab people. infact the arab and french world was its main audience according to the press! it was truly emotional and touching.not to mention the fact that my mum and auntie( who are both pretty traditionalist) loved it. it is a movie that truly should be a mother-daughter theme..so100% aussie..i would have to disagree with you on this one. nadine's work is truly art and it is utterly strange of you to compare it to this movie. but on this note, i completely agree with everyone else on this board when they say this movie is a disgrace. what kind of father, wether muslim or christian( especially a father coming from such a background) would subject himself to nude graphic scenes of his daughter in a movie that is based on an excuse to what seems like a pornographic indulgement?

haram thats graphic i rather hung myself on the roof not to watch this lebonan movies. i see both are men. my god the right one heshe boobs one is up and other is down. am not sure is a girl.

ren, please dont make me puke!!
you say fantastic movie.

i think am going to the restroom!!!!

Come on
I Mean What the hell ts not like, in lebanon there is not any gays or tramps or kids who eat frm garbage
i think the movie should be shown even if theres nudity come on i mean n america theres like 10 % of the movies were a boob dosnt show

For god sake peole Evolve :)

I really don't see the point of the article OR the comments. The movie is RATED (18+) so if your souls are too weak to handle it, just don't watch it! Freedom is not about appearing naked in a movie or not, it's about respecting the opinion of others, which obviously most of you guys can't do.
And about the actresse's parents, if they are OK with their daughter's role in the movie, why do YOU care??!! Raise your own children according to your values and let other parents do whatever they want with their own children.

Ahmed, yeh go to the restroom and stay in there, it would be a great relief for the civilized World.

of course..hald of the ppl on here who agree with such low movie wouldnt care ...u all think about one thing and its sickening..well one day when its ur daughter who has to do such thing lets see how you will react....

come on you people...why you all arguing for ii mean if you guys think that there is something wrong with the movie, than dont watch...ii mean ii can tell whoever is against is interested in watching it n would be the first one at the moviies...your not the director neither u r the actress..so this shuldnt b anybodies business u have a problem with the movie, even b4 watchin...then simple answer dont watch it...ii mean ok all kinda american movies go in theaters in the arab countries n there is naked gurls in there n no one ever complains...onli cus the gurl is lebanese...ye shu bikon el makhlo2a 7ora =/

lOulOu
the point is NOT that the film is 18+ or that people who think it's inappropriate just don't go to see the film, the point is that this kind of film should NOT be made for 18+ OR for under 18. I agree with some of the people here that the step of making such a film is a 'slippery slope': it can lead to other films like this, and films are influential on the public, particularly on the Arab public. It's not enough that there are inappropriate music videos, they want to make films with FULL nudity in them! This is a reflection on how some Arabs are beginning to think today.
This kind of material should not be made by people of decent tradition and religion: Christian and Muslim Arabs.
I live in England, and I can tell you, there are MANY problems here because of this kind of media, that the English themselves cannot identify.

seero, it should be made to whoever wants to watch it! STOP FORCING your traditions and so called values on others! if you don't like it, simply don't watch it!

It's that simple! live your way and let others live their way! LIVE and LET live!

God does NOT need your help! he's GOD! You don't like such movies, then DO NOT WATCH THEM! simple and straight to the point :)

Guys, my name is Bakhos Alwan and I am the executive Producer of the movie !
You are debating on a movie that is banned and nobody has seen it yet.
As for the writer , I think he or she didnt see the movie too.I dont know how a journalist could say cheap on a product that he doesnt know anything about.
Journalist must stand for the freedom of speech in Lebanon!
We are talking on issues that are becoming reality in our society.We are saying the truth in our story.
So , hope that the movie will be released and then ill be glad to hear all your comments.
Thank you

Seero & All who DON'T like this movie:

Who the hell are U to dictate how ppl should think. 'This is a reflection on how some Arabs are beginning to think today.' So how should your so called Arabs think? That's why they are called ppl, because they think differently, have different beliefs (i'm not talking about religious beliefs slick). What do you care about a movie, if you don't like it and think it's trash then don't watch it and give ur opinion about it to other ppl as well as you don't like it. By all means! But don't be stuck in ur own little world and want to drag EVERYBODY else into it, because as you can see, not too many ppl care about ur world.
This does go for everybody else who is barking about this movie. Imitating the west or not, doesn't matter, ppl have the right to express themselves and if you support it, then watch it, if not then DON'T.
Not rocket science really! It's a choice and an opinion. Learn to accept other people's choices and opinions and views to life. Living in your perfect Non-Western World is dream which you are still chasing, but the fact is completely different.
It's a movie and it's legal better than all these sick porn clips which, by the way, ARABS take of their wives/girlfriends/prostitutes and circulate them all over the net bragging about what they are doing and they are getting laid and humiliating everybody in the process.
AT LEAST this movie is done by professionals for the purpose of education (and don't tell me where's the education in a prostitute movie) because if you do then you really don't have a clue.

"AT LEAST this movie is done by professionals for the purpose of education (and don't tell me where's the education in a prostitute movie) because if you do then you really don't have a clue."

no offence to you, care to expand on that point?

If you guys are not willing to accept the reality around you and want to keep your eyes shut then do it but leave the rest of us live the way we want. We live in a free world !!!!. I agree with what was said above: If you don't like or agree with this movie because it is against your values then DON'T WATCH IT!!!!!!!!! No one is dragging you by your hand and forcing you to watch it. Who are you to decide what is right and what is wrong!!!! Who are you to decide that this movie should be banned!!! Learn to respect each other's opinion without judging them. The movie is talking about what is going on around us in reality and if you are not willing to accept this reality then stay in your bubble but leave us alone. For your information, we have more prostitution, drug addicts and homosexuality going on in Lebanon as well as in all the Arab countries then any Europpean country or even the US.

By the way your attitude shows how you truly are in life. You like to interfere in other people's life when you don't like anyone else interfering in yours. I picture you like these people who have nothing to do in their lives but wait by the window to see who is she dating, what is she wearing, ....... all I have to say to you is: GET A LIFE!!!!!

I agree with you all. Guys i think none of us can really criticize the movie, coz simple none of us saw it. I think !
Why do i agree with you all? Simply this is what freedom teaches us to do.
I would have been interested in watching such movie coming out from Lebanon. This is NOT an American movie, nor a European one, nor African nor anything else. It is Lebanese, and it talks about a daily life (got information, reviews over the net).But i can't disagree with some of you who already commented as this kind of movies is a disgrace, moreover Middle-Eastern's society IS NOT PREPARED neither morally nor anything else for such work.
ART cannot be defined as you have already tried to, it is ART when at least one mind sees it beautiful. Let's say I like Rock music, it's an ART for me, while my grandfather says it's bullshit.
Anyway, arguing discussing even criticizing would lead us now to nowhere.
Movie is censored, the director will go home and spend the night working on something else. And the one who banned it will continue their daily porn scenes out of the spots.

Remember this movie is not banned in Europe and other countries across the world, so that means, people who will watch this movie are not the people who can make a change in Lebanon, therefore, it is vital that this movie is seen by ALL Lebanese, we avoid these subjects day in day out, we all now what is really going on in our country, but we choose to hide behind religion or just conitnue with our own lifestyles oblivoius to it all!! ,,, and in the end the rest of the world see us in black, rather than in black and white! so it is not about if this movie is right or wrong, it is about an educational lesson to us all, and only us as Lebanese can watch this movie with an open mind, and with that open mind we can try and change these subjects happening in Lebanon! so i say again it is vital this movie is seen by all Lebanese... everyone has to wake up and smell the coffee, what happens in our society stays and effects us all one way or the other..... we must always say WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE! ...Peace

What can i say?? This is really a big big shame.. What a new low!!!

So you guys are saying that you never watched any movie that had nudity scenes??? Well I am 100% sure that all these people who CLAIM that it's a disgrace ... are the first one who hide under the table to do the dirtiest things and watch porn all the time.

It's a shame that none of the Lebanese will be able to see it unless they download it from one of the sites that allow downloading movies.

What are you all afraid of? There ARE prostitutes in Lebanon. Plenty of them. There ARE gay people in Lebanon. Plenty of them.

Are you all afraid that by exposing this side of your country (in fact, ANY country.. which has had these issues since the dawn of humanity) that somehow you'll be influenced to become like them?

Of course you won't.

Open mindedness leads to peace.

But i guess that's too much to ask from the war ridden Arab world. Why have peace when you can fight about something else.

Sex is not wrong.

Penises and breasts are not a sin.

Prostitution, sex before marriage, gay men and women are everywhere -- in all countries.

Accept and move on.

Hi to all first ..
I respect every opinion ... and every one ..
but guys the movie speaks about reality , about something is allready exict .. and you can not denid it , so the thing is that we wont to keep it hidden , because we're affraid to show it to others ... but the truth is that we are the only one how 's blind here ...and every body else is laughing on us ... be real and belive in change ....

Get over yourself. Nudity is ok. What, you think people don't know how boobs and p***y look like at the age of 18?

If they don't they need some serious time on the internet. Stop being so sexually suppressed. It is funny to see people ok with murder, genocide, torture, dismemberment and all sorts of gruesome acts on TV, but yet are so afraid of the almighty p***y.

Oh my GOD... Nudity??? A boob?? An a**???
OHHHHHHH.... Let's all run and hide... No, wait, let's all run and throw ourselves from a high cliff because there was nudity in a Lebanese/Arab movie... What a disgrace!!!!!! How can we live now?? Oh, my eyes, my eyes hurt so bad.....
Huhhhh??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grow up prudes.. What goes on in real life in Lebanon and most "conservative" Arab countries is much much much more offending and disgraceful than a little nudity in a movie..
Sex, drugs, alcohol, prostitution, homosexuality, it's all there.. You can either keep hiding or simply admit that it's there and talk about it..

Nudity has been going on in the West for thousands of years (yes, nude women in paintings, and as statues, because there was no video back then). And then, on theater plays and in movies, nudity has been a part of the west since the early 1920's (go watch a recent movie called Mrs. Henderson that talks about how nudity started in Britain's theaters during the second world war)!!

And it's not a coincidence that the West rules the world in every single aspect of life (economy, health, sciences, etc..), while we are far far behind.. It's because they managed to deal and face sexuality issues, opened up their societies, and are now free and focused to fly to the Moon and beyond..
We on the other hand, can sit and cry because there was a boob and an a** in a movie!!!

well guys as u can see we will be Lebanese. Conflict minds.
But what i like most Loai comment :) the point is that we have conflict minds that’s the issue :).

i think you're dead wrong and overreacting ! that's the closed mentality that some dumbasses have that's making us look like idiots. wake up people ! it's just a movie and at least it has a real life story !!! but just because they say the truth, you always have to protest. grow up !

walla 3eib... sho hal banet l feltene! ken ba3ed bass na2esna aflem porno! now we are very proud of our celebrities!

HOW T O DOWNLOAD THIS MOVIE ON THE INTERNET ,IF ANYBODY KNOWS PLZ LET ME KNOW .....

el film ba3edne ma 7dorto .. bas la2ennik bel zolot 7a o7daro .. ana wo bel zolot ...wo iza 7abbe el film el tene feena nkoon sawa .. wo bkhabrek be2e el tafasil ba3ed ma o7dar el film ( 3ajbetne kteer el fikra )

in lebanon and in any country homosexuals and prostitutes play a very important role. Now let me differentiate somthing for you ... homosexuality isnt considered comparable to prostitution. habooba hayeti if for example ur daughter was a lesbian as she grew up or you had a gay son that you cant change.... that no medicine no psychologists no one could reverse or change a person from being gay to staraite... prostitution could be eassily controled by families but not homosexuality... will you kill your son or daughter? just for the sake they where born like that? or as they grew up they found themselves interested in the same sex? its there in lebanon and in all countries..there is homosexuality..ur boss at work.. ur instructer in college, ur DAD.... well yeah it'll sound sick but ITS OCCURING!!!!! this movie concentrate on such ideas and facts,,,, so y not... let us see and face what is ther for us :)

The morality of this movie is irrelevant and so is Arab culture. People should be allowed to make whatever type of movies they want (and audiences to watch them). If you don't like it no one's forcing you to see it. Every person who's opposing must admit that they were interested enough to watch in the first place so don't complain : )
what's important is that people have a CHOICE, and are not Forced to be "Moral" (even if morality is relative).
Aside from all this the movie itself sucked cause the acting was horrible and so many things were left unexplained. We still have a long way to go in Lebanese cinema..

Well guys it's not about getting nude in the movie, it's all about we lebanese like to imitate, the director thinks that if there is nudity in the movie, than wow all people will be talking about and it will succeed, but honestly the movie sucks....the lebanese cinema just need financial support we do have creative directors and camera men...

[Comment was posted as a post. You can find it on: http://www.waleg.com/archives/016188.html]

THIS article is cheap ...
you judge a piece of art according to nudity? ... that's really cheap and pathetic ..

Ok I think I have the right to comment on the movie because I saw it (illegal versions do exist in Beirut)
I have to say that judging the movie based on the nudity scenes is so retarded! And to those who think that defending gay rights is a crime, you're homophobic and that's like totally fanatic!
However, stressing these points does not mean that I support the movie! Actually, even though I'm gay and I can find particular attraction and interest in watching a movie where homosexuality appears, I really believe that the gay actor was just too much! being gay isn't about being such a drama queen! I know it's his role but come on I'm gay and it disgusted me! Plus the idea of the movie is really poor! Such interesting details (gays and protitutes in Lebanon) could have matched with an idea that is richer, more attractive!
Anyway I didn't like the movie at all, it was totally boring! The director was just passing time when he was emphasizing ridiculous actions like the taxi driver's scene in the rich man's villa!
bottom line: hidious movie!
peace!

STOP FORCING your traditions and so called values on others! if you don't like it, simply don't watch it!

1- To all those who oppose the movie because you believe it's offensive towards Arab culture, i ought to say that due to so many religious sects and lifestyles in Lebanon, we cannot stereotype it as Arab or Western. So to those who live according to the Arab culture or beliefs; don't watch the movie! as simple as that. Remember! Prostitution and homosexuality are things happening not just in the US or Europe Or in Christianity... it is quite taboo in other religions and specially here in the Middle East

2- Lebanon is a democratic country. Since freedom of speech is implemented, then the movie director has all the right to produce his film.
Although we may think that posing nude on screen is disgracefull (especially infront of daddy), those actors are old enough to do whatever they want without daddy's permission.

3- To all the parents who do not support the movie because they think it's bad for the kids...here's what i have to say to them: "it's a 18+ movie, it is your own responsibility as parents to know what your children are watching, not the responsibility of the actors or the director".

Hey everyone
I would like to say I am Muslim, Lebanese, Arab, Canadian and many other things including simply a HUMAN. To judge things, I use all these cultures to define my judgement. As a Muslim, I cannot accept it. As a Lebanese, I fall in between. As an Arab, I have a heartattack and as a Canadian, I simply don't care. But as a human, I would like to say that the movie tackles an important issue in a proper way - how do you tackle homosexuality and prostitution without seeing things you might now want to? and if you don't want to .. simply don't go. I'm sad I'm missing out on the movie . it looked really good!

What do I think? I think you have issues man, wake up and look around you. It's people like you who keep the world from knowing how open, diverse and free our country is; and it's people like you who prevent us from reaching our full (and incredible) artistic, literary and intellectual potential.