Zozo

Based on director Fares’ own experiences, Zozo (Imad Creidi) is his young counterpart, growing up in Beirut during civil war. On the eve of their emigration to Sweden, his entire family are cruelly dispatched by Lebanese militia, leaving Zozo to make the journey alone. With a soap opera script and scenes of clichéd magical realism clumsily shoehorned in wherever possible (talking chickens, Zozo’s daydreams, etc.), it’s a simple story told with an alarming lack of originality. The tone is reminiscent of Benigni’s ‘Life is Beautiful’: you’ll either quickly succumb to its doe-eyed sense of whimsy, or feel like you’re being emotionally raped.