On the day of his final exams, Wissam (Mohamad Dalli) tries to work up the courage to talk to his crush, Joana (Gia Madi). On any other day, this would be the biggest thing on his mind.
Meanwhile the staff members scramble to figure out how to get the kids out of the school as word arrives that Israeli forces are approaching Beruit...
About a minute into this movie I realised I have never seen a Lebanese movie. I realised that the only vaguely relevant movie I had seen was Lebanon, which is set inside an Israeli tank during the conflict 1982 is also based in.
I do not usually get personal on these blogs, but I felt really embarrassed watching this movie. I am of Lebanese descent, but I know almost nothing about the country outside of Wikipedia and what I read in the news. 15 minutes into the movie I was scrawling through a history of the civil war, trying to explain the background to my mum while trying to follow the subtitles onscreen. I wish I knew more, and 1982 only highlighted just how deep my ignorance truly is.
That aside, while the issues underpinning the conflict are complex, 1982 focuses on the impact of these broader forces on ordinary people.
This movie is based on multiple fault lines, areas of conflict which create overlapping catalysts for suspense - student Wissam (Mohamad Dalli) and the object of his affection, Joana (Gia Madi); her friend Abir (Lelya Harkous) and his friend Majid (Ghassan Maalouf); their teachers; there is even the more mundane pressure of exams.
And then there is the advance of Israeli troops outside.
Despite the context the story takes place in, the movie is very understated. The only signs of the approaching conflict are news reports, snatches of conversation and a brief sighting of an aerial dogfight in the sky. The movie has all the tension of a thriller, yet the filmmakers manage to balance that inherent tension with the more mundane conflicts between the kids, particularly Wissam and his mate Majid.
The movie does not belittle Wissam and the other kids, but there is some gentle humour in their interactions - particularly in the mirroring of Majid and Joana's nosey friend Abir. It is a real achievement that the movie has enough space to provide these little breaths in the tension.
It is a complex juggling of viewer responses, but the filmmakers weave these two storylines together with tact and empathy for everyone onscreen.
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