VOA慢速英语--黎巴嫩的电影明星创造了奥斯卡的历史

Lebanon’s Star Filmmaker Makes Oscars History

Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki has become the first female artist in the Arab world to be nominated for an Academy Award, or Oscar.

Labaki directed the film “Capernaum,” a film about a Syrian refugee boy and a Kenyan baby who live without parents on the streets of Beirut. It was nominated for best foreign language film.

Labaki will be one of the only female directors to compete for an Oscar this year. She told the Associated Press, “I wish there were a lot more women filmmakers this year represented, nominated in the Oscars. But I am sure in a few years we won’t be having this problem anymore.”

Unlike in the West, women filmmakers are industry leaders in Lebanon.

″Capernaum” is Labaki’s third full-length film. In her home country, the 44-year old mother of two children is a unifying¹ figure among political and religious divisions. Labaki first became famous as a director of music videos for top Arab pop stars.

“Capernaum” received a 15-minute standing² ovation³ at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. It won the Jury Prize – the third-highest award given at Cannes.

The United Nations has publicly praised the film. Lebanon’s Foreign Minister said “Capernaum” put “a Lebanese touch” on the international film industry.

The Oscar nomination⁴ of “Capernaum” is the second for Lebanon in two years in the foreign film group. It demonstrates the country’s rising star power.

Labaki called making the movie a life-changing experience. She said “Capernaum” helps humanize the real struggles of refugees only briefly⁵ talked about in the news.

“We can’t help but acknowledge that there is a…fear of refugees in general around the world and there are these walls we are building, and this fear that keeps growing,” Labaki said.

As she observed her small country struggling with a growing number of refugees, Labaki said she felt it was her “duty” to speak out against governments failing to deal with the crisis. Lebanon has one of the largest populations of Syrian refugees in the Arab world. “And their story is very painful,” Labaki said.

Both main characters in the film are refugees in real life. The Syrian child, Zain, has now found a home in Norway. And the young Kenyan, Yonas, has returned home. Labaki plans to make a documentary film on the lives of both children in the future.

“Capernaum” will compete against four other films for the Oscar, including awards season favorite “Roma.” Directed by Mexico’s Alfonso Cuaron, it earned 10 Oscar nominations⁶, including for best picture.

The Academy Awards ceremony is Hollywood’s biggest night of the year. It will be held on February 24 in Los Angeles, California.

I’m Ashley Thompson.

Words in This Story

standing ovation – n. an occurrence in which the people at an event stand up and applaud to show enthusiastic approval or appreciation⁷

acknowledge – v. to say that you accept or do not deny the truth or existence of something

character – n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie or television show

documentary – n. a movie or television program that tells the facts about actual people and events

1 unifying   

使联合( unify的现在分词 )； 使相同； 使一致； 统一

参考例句：

• In addition, there were certain religious bonds of a unifying kind. 此外，他们还有某种具有一种统一性质的宗教上的结合。
• There is a unifying theme, and that is the theme of information flow within biological systems. 我们可以用一个总的命题，把生物学系统内的信息流来作为这一研究主题。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 ovation   

n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌

参考例句：

• The hero received a great ovation from the crowd. 那位英雄受到人群的热烈欢迎。
• The show won a standing ovation. 这场演出赢得全场起立鼓掌。

4 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

5 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

6 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

7 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。