Capernaum 2018

Zain El Hajj is a 12-year-old boy from the impoverished neighborhoods of Beirut, currently serving a five-year sentence in Roumieh Prison for stabbing a man he refers to disdainfully as a “son of a bitch.” The irony of Zain’s predicament is that neither he nor his parents can specify his birth date, as they have never obtained an official birth certificate. His current situation leads him to take the unprecedented step of bringing his parents, his mother Souad and father Selim, to court for neglect. When the judge inquires about his motive for suing them, Zain simply states, > “Because I was born.”

As the narrative unfolds, we flash back to the tumultuous months leading up to Zain’s arrest. His life is a daily struggle, as he takes care of seven younger siblings who, instead of pursuing education, engage in various schemes for money. Zain turns to illegal activities, using forged prescriptions to obtain tramadol pills, which he sells to drug addicts in prison. In efforts to support his family, he also works as a delivery boy for Assad, their landlord, often caught in the harsh realities of their existence.

In a particular incident, Zain aids his 11-year-old sister Sahar in hiding evidence of her first menstruation, fearing she will be forced into marriage with Assad if their parents discover that she is now of childbearing age. Zain dreams of escaping their grim life with Sahar, but tragedy strikes as their parents marry her off to Assad in a bargain involving two chickens. Infuriated, Zain runs away and boards a bus, where he encounters an elderly man known as “Cockroach Man,” who wears a knock-off Spider-Man costume. The man leads Zain to Luna Park, where Zain finds solace in the beauty of a sunset while riding the Ferris wheel.

At Luna Park, Zain meets Rahil, a young Ethiopian migrant worker who takes a compassionate interest in him. She allows Zain to stay with her in her makeshift home in return for babysitting her infant son, Yonas. Unfortunately, Rahil faces her own set of challenges as her forged documents are about to expire, jeopardizing her ability to remain in the country. Aspro, who has the power to renew her documents, exploits Rahil’s vulnerable situation, proposing to help her only if she relinquishes Yonas for adoption. Despite the dire consequences, she adamantly refuses.

Tragedy deepens when Rahil is arrested, and Zain, now solely responsible for caring for Yonas, claims the two are siblings. In a desperate bid to survive, he begins selling tramadol once again. During an outing at Souk Al Ahad, Zain meets Maysoun, a Syrian refugee who has aspirations of being sent to Sweden by Aspro. Driven by the desire for a better life, Zain reluctantly agrees to give Yonas to Aspro in exchange for his own escape plan.

Upon returning home to secure his identification, Zain is met with laughter and disrespect from his parents, whom he has effectively disowned due to their treatment of him. In a shocking revelation, they inform him that Sahar has died during childbirth, pushing Zain to a breaking point. Fueled by rage, he attacks Assad with a knife and finds himself arrested, marking the beginning of his harsh journey in prison.

During a visit, Zain learns from his mother that she is once again expecting a child, naming it Sahar in a twisted homage to her deceased sister. Overwhelmed with disgust at his mother’s seeming indifference to the grief they have endured, Zain opts to cut ties with her, labeling her “heartless.” Using his time in prison to spotlight the negligence of parents like his own, he contacts the media to advocate for children in similar situations, declaring his intent to sue for their unfit parenting.

Zain’s courage leads to a turning point when he states in court, “I want them to stop having children,” emphasizing the suffering his family has inflicted upon him. His efforts result in a raid on Aspro’s house, leading to the reunion of separated children with their parents, including Yonas and Rahil.

In a poignant moment of reinstating his identity, Zain poses for a photo for his ID card. The photographer lightens the mood with a joke, saying, “It’s your ID card, not your death certificate,” prompting Zain to crack a smile for the first time.