Cecelia H

Be ready to be overwhelmed by the pathos; an intense sadness (just short of despair) runs deep in its narrative but without an iota of excessive sentimentality. There's not a single surplus detail in the dialogue, the setting, the characterisation or any melodramatic element that would lead one to feel manipulated. In addition to this, I challenge any viewer to not be amazed by the captivating performance of Zain Al-Rafeea. As it's February, it's a little trite to say this is the best film of 2019. But truly, this is the best dramatic film I have seen in a long while. Capernaum is a very fine example of both grand, exquisite film-making and sophisticated story-telling.