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Incendies

Play trailer Poster for Incendies R 2011 2h 10m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 124 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Nawal (Lubna Azabal), a dying Middle Eastern woman living in Montreal, leaves separate letters to her twin children to be read once she passes away. Jeanne (Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin) is to deliver hers to the father the twins never knew, and Simon (Maxim Gaudette) is to give his to the brother they never knew they had. The siblings travel to the Middle East separately, where they each experience acts of brutality, uncover a startling family history, and have revelations about themselves.
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Incendies

Incendies

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Critics Consensus

It's messy, overlong, and a touch melodramatic, but those flaws pale before Incendies' impressive acting and devastating emotional impact.

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Critics Reviews

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Roger Clarke Sight & Sound 06/28/2011
Incendies acquires its heft from some very deep places -- Greek tragedy rather than newsflashes. Go to Full Review Robbie Collin News of the World 06/25/2011
2/5
Normally I'm against decent original stories being dumbed down and squashed into bog-standard thriller shapes. But Incendies is in dire need of some dumbing down. Go to Full Review Derek Malcolm London Evening Standard 06/24/2011
4/5
It isn't easy to open out a well-respected stage play without losing a lot of its bite and subtlety. Go to Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 08/12/2024
5/5
…this might not be his best known work, but Incendies is probably Villeneuve's best film to date; if you’re willing to witness the aftermath of unspeakable events, it’s a particularly potent exploration of the twisted morality of a terrorist act… Go to Full Review Ray Pride Newcity 07/04/2024
10/10
The steely elegance of Villeneuve’s emphatic camera movements and framing are as much of the “story” as the terrors past unearthed by two grown, yet innocent children. Go to Full Review Rohan Naahar The Indian Express 03/09/2024
Before he was surfing the sand dunes of Arakkis, Denis Villeneuve was telling a more searing story about overzealous characters waging a holy war in the desert. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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MBI M @MNZGamerX 5d This movie doesn't need a review, it just needs to be watched. It has become renowned for very good reason and if you have the patience, as the story develops slowly, it will reward you and blow your mind. See more Dr. C. @RT41658839 Mar 13 It's obvious why this is called Villeneuve’s first masterpiece. The story is emotional and engaging, and follows a theme introduced early in the movie when a character speaks about the "Collatz Conjecture." A theme of chaos all coming back to one point in the end, and this film certainly portrays that. All this, coupled with Villeneuve’s signature empty landscapes and isolating shots, creates a movie that burrows into your mind and lingers. See more Sávio S @s.miranda-7 Mar 12 o filme é lento, dependendo de quem assiste pode desistir no meio do caminho, mas é impactante, forte, mostra como a crueldade do mundo não faz distinções e juízo de valor. See more tm c @rottentomtom Feb 9 horrific to watch, stayed with me. See more youngrazor T @March92 Jan 16 if you like to watch how dark and cruel reality is then its a great watch if not skip See more Runa R @runa.r Jan 8 I saw this film in the cinema in 2026, when it was shown again in a restored 4K screening. What a narrative plot this is!... Lubna Azabal fits this role like a glove; she is fantastic. See more Read all reviews
Incendies

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Cast & Crew

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Denis Villeneuve

Director

Lubna Azabal

Nawal Marwan

Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin

Jeanne Marwan

Maxim Gaudette

Simon Marwan

Rémy Girard

Notaire Jean Lebel

Abdelghafour Elaaziz

Abou Tarek

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Incendies

Lubna Azabal as Nawal Marwan in "Incendies." Lubna Azabal as Nawal Marwan in "Incendies." Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin as Jeanne Marwan in "Incendies." Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin as Jeanne Marwan and Maxim Gaudette as Simon Marwan in "Incendies." (L-R) Rémy Girard as Notary Jean Lebel, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin as Jeanne Marwan and Maxim Gaudette as Simon Marwan in "Incendies." A scene from "Incendies." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Nawal (Lubna Azabal), a dying Middle Eastern woman living in Montreal, leaves separate letters to her twin children to be read once she passes away. Jeanne (Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin) is to deliver hers to the father the twins never knew, and Simon (Maxim Gaudette) is to give his to the brother they never knew they had. The siblings travel to the Middle East separately, where they each experience acts of brutality, uncover a startling family history, and have revelations about themselves.
Director
Denis Villeneuve
Producer
Luc Déry, Kim McCraw
Screenwriter
Denis Villeneuve, Valérie Beaugrand-Champagne, Wajdi Mouawad
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
TS Productions, micro_scope, Phi Group
Rating
R (Strong Violence|Language)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Arabic
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 22, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 10, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.9M
Runtime
2h 10m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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