Winner of the Jury Prize at the most recent Cannes Film Festival and recipient of an 8-minute standing ovation, CAPERNAUM (the word is French reference to hell), centers on a 12-year-old Beirut street urchin (Zain) who sues his parents for bringing him into a world of desperate poverty. Disgusted with his parents who sell his sister for some chickens - Zain teams up with Rahil, a young Ethiopian refugee whose infant becomes his companion. The two young leads in the film, today live in Norway and France. Directed by Nadine Labaki. 120 minutes in Arabic with English subtitles. Not to be missed.

Film Forum 209 West Houston www.filmforum.org