[Review] The Insult: Can There Be True Reconciliation Without Confronting History?

The term "grand reconciliation" (大和解) has become quite common in recent years. The Insult, a Lebanese film nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Oscars, also explores the theme of grand reconciliation, a topic I believe many Hong Kong audiences will find deeply resonant.

I've recently seen two films related to real historical events, and The Insult is one of them. As a Lebanese film, The Insult delves into the complex national and religious issues involving Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel—topics that Hong Kong audiences typically only hear about in the news and rarely have the opportunity to understand in depth. Therefore, the subject matter of this film should theoretically be quite distant for Hong Kong viewers. I myself have limited knowledge of this history, yet I was completely engrossed, even deeply moved and empathetic. Even without being citizens of the depicted countries and relying on subtitles to follow the plot, audiences can still be affected by the film's dialogue and understand the characters' feelings. This is probably the magic of cinema, transcending national and linguistic boundaries!

The Insult features no elaborate or high-difficulty cinematography, nor complex editing; its brilliance lies in its solid script and excellent acting. The film doesn't directly mention the relevant historical events at the beginning but unfolds through a seemingly ordinary conflict: a Palestinian man, Yasser, without permission, repairs a drain for a Lebanese man, Tony. Tony, however, is ungrateful and breaks the repaired drain. Yasser becomes enraged and insults Tony, who then demands an apology. This conflict appears very simple, like a minor misunderstanding. But later, as Yasser prepares to apologize, Tony insults Yasser with language full of racial hatred, provoking Yasser to punch Tony. The incident escalates from a verbal to a physical confrontation. From here, the film establishes a major suspense: Why does Tony insist on Yasser apologizing? And why does Yasser adamantly refuse to apologize?

One of the script's clever aspects is that the first half of the film doesn't fully explain Tony's background, making it difficult for the audience to understand his motivations. In several scenes featuring Tony, television clips related to political parties and religion are played in the background, leading audiences to believe that Tony might be a radical incited by these parties to hate Palestinians. At the same time, Tony's remarks to Yasser are highly provocative, and even if audiences don't know the full historical context of these figures, they generally understand Yasser's feelings. Moreover, in this particular conflict, Yasser's role is more passive, and he even tries to defend Tony in court, further drawing the audience's sympathy. I believe audiences watching up to this point will certainly find Tony unreasonable and radical, and understand Yasser's steadfast refusal to apologize for the sake of national dignity. Even if audiences are unfamiliar with the history of Palestine and Lebanon, they will generally grasp the complex relationship between the two peoples. Furthermore, in recent years, Hong Kong people's awareness of identity has increased, and I believe audiences will feel a strong sense of empathy while watching.

Later, as the film progresses, the conflict between the two gradually gains more attention, escalating into a national and religious confrontation that even the government has to intervene in. In this storyline, we see how a small incident can escalate into a major conflict affecting an entire city, or even a nation. The film might seem highly dramatic, where a simple apology could ostensibly resolve such an uproar. However, similar events have frequently occurred throughout history, and not just between Lebanese and Palestinians. The film touches upon themes such as opportunism, public incitement, and nationalism, providing ample room for reflection. The situation seems very simple; a mere "I'm sorry" could seemingly resolve it. But this script makes the audience feel the weight of that "I'm sorry" and the heavy history it carries.

"Grand reconciliation"—Hong Kong audiences should be familiar with this term. Watching the middle and later parts of the film, as the conflict between Tony and Yasser escalates into a national conflict, audiences might feel that the seemingly more radical instigator, Tony, should take responsibility and reconcile with Yasser, perhaps even apologize for inciting racial hatred and painful Palestinian memories, thereby achieving "grand reconciliation." However, this film tells us that things are not that simple. Tony's reaction and remarks to Yasser are not purely driven by political incitement but stem from his traumatic childhood memories. This period of Lebanese history, I believe, is not just Tony's personal unresolved issue but a collective one for many Lebanese in reality. In the film, Tony consistently avoids recalling this history, afraid to return to his old home. Only after the case concludes does he go back to confront the past and face the darkest corners of his heart. I believe this storyline must have deeply moved many Lebanese, as it's not just Tony's journey, but the journey of countless Lebanese people in reality. As a Hong Konger, I was also profoundly touched by this storyline, and it's truly hard to imagine the strong feelings local people must experience when watching the film.

After all the groundwork, the audience finally understands the history, recognizes the complexity of the situation, comprehends the weight of that apology, and the significance of this "grand reconciliation." The three words "I'm sorry"—I'm sure you and I have said them many times. But the history and contradictions that this apology in the film carries truly exceed our imagination and are absolutely not easy to utter. Even though the history the film discusses is that of Lebanon and Palestine, seemingly distant from Hong Kong audiences, the themes it addresses are intimately relevant to our lives. True "grand reconciliation" cannot be achieved solely through those three words, or through superficial goodwill.