Set in a school tucked safely in the mountains of Lebanon, 1982 is the poignant tale of 11-year-old boy Wissam who is determined to tell his classmate Joanna that he loves her. Before he can do so, Israeli missiles strike Beirut and shatter the school's calm. His teachers—on different sides of the political divide—try to keep their charges calm while grappling with their own fears.

After earning an Oscar nod for directing Capernaum last year, Lebanese actress-turned-filmmaker Nadine Labaki stars as Yasmine, Wissam's teacher. The "witness of his innocent love and determination," she is contending with her own share of problems that the war has brought on her family and on her relationship with fellow teacher Malek (Rodrigue Sleiman). 

Told with great sensitivity and a beautifully light touch, director Oualid Mouaness took great pains to recapture the world as he saw it himself as a child. Along with the anxieties of living under constant siege in the Middle East, 1982 is also a celebration of human resiliency and connection—and the official Lebanese entry for the 2019 Academy Awards. D: Oualid Mouaness, Leb/US, subtitled, 2019