BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//ChamberMaster//Event Calendar 2.0//EN METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:P3D REFRESH-INTERVAL:P3D CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20080620 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20080625 TRANSP:TRANSPARENT X-MICROSOFT-CDO-ALLDAYEVENT:TRUE SUMMARY:''Caramel'' premieres at the Smith DESCRIPTION:As the title suggests\, "Caramel" is a sweet affair\, hiding any bitter undertones under a sprightly\, glistening exterior. Five women gather around a Beirut beauty salon to address a range of issues facing them\, including births\, deaths\, love affairs\, and religious dictates. Much of the tension in "Caramel" turns on the problematic status of women in Lebanese society\, where liberation is barely skin deep. The multigenerational cast members have one foot in Western modernity and the other in male-dominated tradition. It's more a symptom of that status than a sign of negligence that Layale refuses to wear a seat belt when she's driving her car. "It suffocates me\," she tells a handsome motorcycle cop. Cultural rites and societal expectations clash with personal desires and a nascent sense of rebellion. No mention is made of the violence that has ravaged the country. The film notes Muslim and Christian double standards in passing\, but ignores political turbulence to focus on universal humanist values. The world outside might be run by harsh\, disapproving men\, but inside the parlor\, the staff and clientele feel liberated to be themselves. In a country still full of the military\, the macho and Muslim extremists\, it remains a small feminine sanctuary\, a place of beauty and grace where\, once the door is closed\, the women rule. The episodic ensemble tale doesn't build to a dramatic climax\, but it weaves a colorful\, poignant tapestry of character relationships. A sleeper hit at last year's Cannes Festival\, it is a film of abundant heart and exquisite faces. As tart and tantalizing as that little pot of caramel bubbling on the stove\, just waiting to bring delight -- or quick stabbing pain\, "Caramel" is a bittersweet treat. It is in Arabic and French with English subtitles and is rated PG with a running time of 95 minutes. X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

As the title suggests\, "\;Caramel"\; is a sweet affair\, hiding any bitter undertones under a sprightly\, glistening exterior. Five women gather \;around a Beirut beauty salon to address a range of issues facing them\, including births\, deaths\, love affairs\, and religious dictates.

Much of the tension in "\;Caramel"\; turns on the problematic status of women in Lebanese society\, where liberation is barely skin deep. The multigenerational cast members have one foot in Western modernity and the other in male-dominated tradition. It&rsquo\;s more a symptom of that status than a sign of negligence that Layale refuses to wear a seat belt when she&rsquo\;s driving her car. "\;It suffocates me\,"\; she tells a handsome motorcycle cop.

Cultural rites and societal expectations clash with personal desires and a nascent sense of rebellion. No mention is made of the violence that has ravaged the country. The film notes Muslim and Christian double standards in passing\, but ignores political turbulence to focus on universal humanist values. The world outside might be run by harsh\, disapproving men\, but inside the parlor\, the staff and clientele feel liberated to be themselves. In a country still full of the military\, the macho and Muslim extremists\, it remains a small feminine sanctuary\, a place of beauty and grace where\, once the door is closed\, the women rule.

The episodic ensemble tale doesn&rsquo\;t build to a dramatic climax\, but it weaves a colorful\, poignant tapestry of character relationships. A sleeper hit at last year&rsquo\;s Cannes Festival\, it is a film of abundant heart and exquisite faces.

As tart and tantalizing as that little pot of caramel bubbling on the stove\, just waiting to bring delight -- or quick stabbing pain\, "\;Caramel"\; is a bittersweet treat. It is in Arabic and French with English subtitles and is rated PG with a running time of 95 minutes. \;

LOCATION:Smith Opera House82 Seneca StGeneva\, NY UID:e.248.1977 SEQUENCE:3 DTSTAMP:20260413T131331Z URL:https://members.flxchamber.com/events/details/caramel-premieres-at-the-smith-06-20-2008-1977 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR