Caramel [DVD] (2007)

Caramel is a beautifully made film that is so much better than the good film that I was expecting to watch – a film that I was sorry had to end. The DVD of the film together with over an hour of extra features is excellent. The actors perform superbly, although from what Nadine Labaki says in “A Conversation With Nadine Labaki” it would seem that not all are experienced actors – though this is hard to believe given the performances that everyone gives. The film is good on so many levels. As well as the acting, the directing from Nadine Labaki is just so clever and faultless that together with great music from Khaled Mouzanar (which won a Best Music award at the Cannes Film Festival), and sumptuous cinematography Caramel is a film that could be watched many times giving a little more on each viewing. The extra features on the DVD are very informative and entertaining in themselves: “A Conversation With Nadine Labaki” (35 minutes); “A Conversation With Khaled Mouzanar” (12 minutes); “Behind The Scenes” (12 minutes); “At The Fistivals” (4 minutes); “Trailer” (1 minute). The two “Conversations With” features if watched after the main film give an insight into some of the characters and the music within the film, potentially making further viewings of Caramel yet more rewarding still. Caramel has won and been nominated for numerous awards and having watched it, it is easy to see why. If you are thinking of buying this DVD I would urge you to do so – for me this is a most rewarding film.

Great movie. Lovely story.

Liked everything except would have been pleased if the older woman had found a compromise between her prospective lover and her mother

I’ve seen this film before, and it was just as good as when I saw it the first time.

A slow storyline but it definitely had a story. It was like a single episode of a soap - women chatting in a beauty salon. There was more than one romance and humour together with pathos in the form of an elderly senile woman.

Caramel is a charming, if slight story of a group of women centred around a boutique in the Lebanon. Not being Lebanese or knowing much about the country I was hoping for an insight but didn't really get one. That said it was a refreshing change to get a human tale from a country that so often features on the news for all the wrong reasons. Some of the characters are well realised and, with the help of a good musical score, the film delivers well in many of its scenes. Unfortunately what happens in the film seems very little and even by the end I was waiting for it to begin in earnest.

I love Nadine Labaki's movies. It's a social drama with a pinch of humour and real life drama about a group of women living in Beirut. There are no peaks in the movie yet you will be glued to the TV until it's finished.

I can't say enough good things about this movie- the director who plays the leading role is very attractive- I keep on asking myself how can she be so good as an actress and direct herself as well. The story is just simple one that resonates with every woman on the planet. very happy with buying the DVD

Ein toller Film, der recht langsam und unspektakulär spielt (so ARTEmäßig), der aber immer eine deutliche Botschaft hinterlässt. Ich möchte nicht zu viel verraten aber ich glaube viele Menschen werden sich wiederfinden. Manchmal ist eine Entscheidung zwischen Vernunft und Liebe sowie zwischen Tradition und Leidenschaft sehr schwer. Gerade für alle, die solche Zeiten erlebt haben oder diese gerade erleben - sehr sehenswert und vielleicht eine Hilfe. Ein Film für schöne entspannte Abende mit einem Gläschen zum Genießen :) Highlight: die zwei älteren Schwesten. Eine ist Schneiderin und die andere spielt eine geistig verwirrte Frau - göttliche Dialoge. Vor allem die Szene mit den Strafzetteln fürs Falschparken

Para los que les gusta el cine independiente se la recomiendo, a mi me fascina la manera que tiene de expresar al espectador lo fácil que seria la vida, sino la complicáramos nosotros mismo.

Excellent film libanais qui nous raconte avec finesse la vie, un petit moment de bonheur comme on aimerait en avoir plus souvent, il fait parti des meilleurs films de ma DVDthèque qui en compte plus de 1700. Il y a du très bon cinéma en Orient : A voir aussi les films de réalisateurs israeliens Eran Riklis (citronniers, la fiancée syrienne), Eran Korilin (la visite de la fanfare), shlomi et Ronit Elkabetz (prendre femme, 7 jours) Amos Gitai (free zone,le désengagement...) ,du réalisateur egyptien Youssef Chahine (le destin...) , et aussi de réalisateurs iraniens Abbas Kiarostami ((le gout de la cerise, à travers les oliviers...), Jafar Panahi (sang et or , le ballon blanc...) , Payami (bulletin secret...), Makhmalbaf (salaam cinema...), Parvoti (café transit)etc....

un film , au départ, sur les femmes de Beyouth... et puis, finalement, ce film est une ode à toutes les femmes. Énormément de tendresse dans le jeu des acteurs,de très belles images, et puis aussi beaucoup d'humour: un sex and the city à la mode moyen orientale...A recommander ++++

"Caramel" ist ein Film über eingeschränkte Freiheiten und einschränkende Ideale, individuelle Bewältigungsversuche und den Zusammenhalt von fünf Frauen in der libanesischen Hauptstadt Beirut. Der Ort, an dem sich ihre Leben treffen, ist ein Kosmetiksalon in Beirut, in dem erhitztes Karamell für kosmetische Behandlungen eingesetzt wird. Der Film überzeugt mit allesamt sehr gut besetzten Protagonistinnen vor authentischer Kulisse und bewegt sich inhaltlich irgendwo zwischen Milieustudie, Drama, Liebes- und Frauenfilm. Fünf von fünf Sternen. Sehenswert!