The Sand Castle review: Nadine Labaki and Ziad Bakri film is a beautiful but frustrating watch

The beauty of the allegory is its capacity to take a difficult topic and present it in a digestible and stirring form, and that is what the new thriller The Sand Castle, now streaming on Netflix, aims to do.

The film, which made its premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival, revolves around a family of four stranded on an island. The mother of the family, Yasmine, played by Nadine Labaki, routinely scans the horizon for signs of a boat. The father, Nabil, portrayed by Ziad Bakri, dutifully tries to radio for help. The couple’s two children, Adam and Jana, depicted by Capernaum stars Zain and Riman Al Rafeea, meanwhile explore the island in their own way. Adam, weary of their situation, is withdrawn from the family, listening to music and smoking his father’s cigarettes. Jana scampers along the rocky shoreline, building sandcastles and letting herself be taken by her imagination.

The island seems idyllic at first, with tall and lush stalks growing in one part, and the sea waves breaking furiously but beautifully against the coral cliffs. Yet, it quickly becomes evident that not all is as it seems. There is an eeriness to it and the family seems keen to keep the island’s secrets from their youngest member, Jana.

The cast is the film’s most alluring element. Each actor delivers a riveting performance, with Riman Al Rafeea taking the spotlight as Jana with an emotional and layered portrayal. The film’s director, Matty Brown, also offers several tastefully composed scenes, moving from painting-like arrangements to more dizzying and experimental frames as the movie progresses.

Nevertheless, The Sand Castle can be a frustrating watch, especially as the seams between reality and fiction are tattered to the point where there are no certainties to anchor to. That is, perhaps, its main drawback.

From the onset, the film is clearly an allegorical take on a pressing topic, but what it aims to reflect remains steadfastly elusive until the latter third of the film. While the joy of watching such a film is to try to piece the puzzle together, it becomes a disheartening viewing experience when pieces of the jigsaw at hand continuously change shape, making it increasingly difficult to attain any concrete image.

Zain Al Rafeea as Adam, left, and Ziad Bakri as Nabil in The Sand Castle. Photo: Netflix

The film flounders as it tries to establish a focus, introducing several visual elements that it never manages to return to. A number of themes are also brought up, but instead of delving and exploring them, it only superficially grazes them. These include the experiences of parents who try to provide their children with a better future; the uncertainty of refugees as they leave behind their war-torn nations in search of a more stable life; or, on a more universal note, the need to protect the innocence of children from looming horrors.

There are several poignant exchanges between the family members that underline the film’s urgency. One of which is a scene between Nabil and Adam, as the father witnesses his son taking his place at the radio and trying to get the light of the lighthouse working again.

The Sand Castle stars Nadine Labaki and Ziad Bakri, as well as Capernaum stars Zain and Riman Al Rafeea. Photo: Netflix

“When you lose your voice, lose your dignity, you lose everything you fought for and only the sea remains,” says a weary and injured Nabil. It is an evocative monologue, which brings to mind the plight of refugees who took to the uncertainty of the high seas, in both literal and metaphorical sense, trying to find a dignified existence behind the waves.

Ultimately, it becomes clear that the film is an artistic reflection upon the suffering of children across the Levant. It is at, this point, that The Sand Castle begins to find solid ground, and yet, it buckles again as the film once again withdraws from any plot-related certitudes. It is this hesitance to establish at least a few anchoring moments that is the film’s greatest folly.

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Even once it becomes clear that the film is attempting to address the trauma incurred by children as they try to face the horrors of war, it seems to be doing so diffidently and without any meaningful reflection. By the end of The Sand Castle, and after a suffocating viewing experience, you’re left with fragmented puzzle pieces and a faint idea of the film’s intent.

Once all is said and revealed, and the credits start to roll, the allegory, though beautifully shot and with a stellar cast, is every bit as incomprehensible as the topics it attempts to tackle. Maybe that is the point.

The Sand Castle is now streaming on Netflix

The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

Analysis

Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.

The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.

We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.

What is graphene?

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.

It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.

Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.

By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.

At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.

It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.

But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.

In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.

Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis

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Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi

Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni

Rating: 2.5/5

The%20specs

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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick

Hometown: Cologne, Germany

Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)

Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes

Favourite hobby: Football

Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk

The%20Roundup

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Killing of Qassem Suleimani

National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate

Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble

Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks

Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence

Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground

Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

MOTHER%20OF%20STRANGERS

%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Suad%20Amiry%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Pantheon%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20304%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

CREW

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The biog

Name: Younis Al Balooshi

Nationality: Emirati

Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn

Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design

The Farewell

Director: Lulu Wang

Stars: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Diana Lin, Tzi Ma

Four stars

About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

if you go

The flights

Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.

When to visit

March-May and September-November

Visas

Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.

Tales of Yusuf Tadros

Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)

Hoopoe

Reputation

Taylor Swift

(Big Machine Records)

Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics

While you're here

Con Coughlin: To survive, Nato must renew its sense of common purpose

Gavin Esler: Nato summit failed for making news more than it made deals

Simon Waldman: Nato continues to be Ankara’s best security guarantor

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

Important questions to consider

1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?

There are different types of travel available for pets:

Manifest cargo
Excess luggage in the hold
Excess luggage in the cabin

Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.

2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?

If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.

If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.

3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?

As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.

If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.

If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.

4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?

This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.

In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.

5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?

Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.

Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.

Source: Pawsome Pets UAE