Caramel

Creator of Caramel, Lebanese producer and silver screen heroine Nadine Labaki is surprised by her success, and grateful for the learning experience.

The film is out, what do you hope to get back?

Well, you make a film hoping that people will like it, that it will have an impact on people, but you never really know if it will or not. It has done well, and I’m very happy.

Might as well slip this in now; how do you feel about the country, or Beirut in particular?

Beirut is black and white; old and new, traditional and modern, western and eastern. That’s what makes it interesting; you don’t get bored.

Back to your career, was it tough to get it going?

I started with small videos, and that was important for me to learn; I didn’t have the maturity or experience. It’s all about experience, music videos and ads are a great way to learn the ropes. I did so many different things, but the aim was always to make a film. Later on I met my producer here in Lebanon, and she decided to follow me and my story, and this is how it all happened.

Sounds pretty straightforward…

Not as easy as it sounds. It happened that way, but you don’t have the structure here for that kind of endeavor. Everyone has his own way, and you have to struggle to get your way through. I was lucky to meet someone that believed in me, and my method. It all came at the right moment for me.

So work hard and wait for a lucky break?

No, no never wait. Work hard yes, and maybe when you start wanting something really hard and working for it it’ll happen. I’m not being naive or anything, but you need to believe in your dreams and you shouldn’t be scared of them, or how big they are.

Any particular success stories to look up to?

You can’t really talk about a film industry here yet. There are certainly some filmmakers that made it big, and some local films that traveled around, but we can’t yet speak of an industry; at least not on an international level. A lot of us aim high though, so it’s only a matter of time.

How high did you aim with Caramel?

Caramel was a challenge. I mean, I only had one professional actor in there, and the rest of us were learning. It was my first film, and I didn’t expect it to succeed this much. I couldn’t have, this is huge. It was a small Lebanese film with a very small budget.

The right people, the right time, the right place…

I guess; it was a simple Lebanese story – there’s no recipe – about very ordinary people. As a viewer you can easily identify with these people. They’re excerpts from your life, you don’t get the feeling that you’re watching superstars in a fiction, you’re watching yourself. The people on screen are your neighbors and friends.

That doesn’t explain it’s multi-national success though…

The internationals identified with the struggle and the stereotypes. The film had even more success abroad, and I feel that the women identified with their counterparts on screen, and these everyday heroes.

Ooh, keyword right there; who are your heroes?

Anyone who has something I don’t and want, and everyone who can do something better than I can; luckily, you find these people all around.

So fame hasn’t gotten to your head…

It doesn’t really change you. Of course you have more responsibility, but it doesn’t change you. It just makes you want to try your best, and at the same time it grounds you. You know you’re not perfect, you’re not the best; you know you could be better and it keeps your feet on the ground.

Let’s wrap it up then; what’s your favorite place in Lebanon?

It depends on my mood. I don’t like doing the same thing over and over, so it depends. Everything around me affects me; and I don’t have habits or patterns – I can’t even decide how I like my coffee or eggs…