Where Do We Go Now by the Lebanese-Canadian director Nadine Labike is set in a war-torn village in Lebanon. The backdrop of the movie is the Christian-Muslim conflict plaguing the region at large, and its effect on the mixed population of the village dwellers. The comedy-drama focuses on a group of women and their antics to keep the men off each other's throats. It starts off in an almost utopian setting, with the view of the village mosque and church at dusk in a single frame, symbolizing the ideal of peaceful existence between the Christians and Muslims.

The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, and won the people's choice award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Nadine, who also acts in the film, may be accused by some quarters of trivializing the conflict between the Abrahamic faiths with her comic take on religion, complete with a climax reminiscent of a Cheech and Chong flick. However, the tone of the film remains somber throughout, and the viewer is often reminded of the toll of the conflict on both sides of the religious divide, with glimpses of intermittent sectarian strife.

The intelligent dialogue, interspersed with repartee between the female characters is refreshingly entertaining, offering a peek inside the (mostly) segregated Arab society and humanizing a population segment often portrayed as meek and subservient to the other sex.

Nadine's second directorial venture after Caramel continues to court controversy, with an ending which Labaki acknowledges might "raise a lot of polemics. It might upset people who are a bit fanatic or too conservative..." By the end of the film, Nadine is sure to rouse some thought-provoking questions in the viewers mind, fulfilling the obligation to her craft and pushing the envelope. Where Do We Go Now has been chosen as the Lebanon's 2011 entry in the best foreign language film category for the Academy Awards.

From the very first scene , you feel that is going to be a beautiful movie. You can't pinpoint exactly the source of beauty , it's all the factors combined. Scenery , actors, cinematography . there is a feeling of warmth and strange familiarity fills you up. The same pace of Muslim and Christian women marching to their common cemetery ( in which their loved ones are buried after they were killed in a religious raised conflict ) put you in front of a lovely Lebanese portrait in the first page of a story about a group

Of villagers, who share everything but religion. The story of the wit and wisdom of this village women who try to maintain the peace the peace in so many desperate ways .The beauty , simplicity and classiness of the those women characters , makes you love them , think , laugh and cry with them. Watching the villagers peaceful moments and love and friendship between the women , makes you wonder, how one day did they kill one another?! Amal, Fatma Yevon , sayda , aida , afaf,.. all happily coexisting Christian and Muslim women , happily coexisting, sharing their lives , so close, they even tease one another of their religious differences .( which makes you wonder , why can't men handle matters in the same manner and that women should really rule the world!).

In the middle of that , we find Rabie , a young Muslim painter who helps amal redecorating her café' and falling in love with her as well, amale feels the same , but each one is stifled by being from a different faith and fear of igniting the war in the village again.

One night , while they were all watching TV in the wilderness, there were news about Muslim and Christian armed conflicts in Lebanon , which faced by a subconscious or may be collective conscious attempt by the women to distract everyone from it, by creating little quarrels ! as they just before decided that what we don't know doesn't hurt us and burned the newspapers coming from town!

The tension between the two teams ( Muslims and Christians) piles up and erupts by the accident of breaking the cross in the very old church and the goats entering the always opened mosque . leaving each one to blame the other. The women decide there is something must be done by any means whatsoever to prevent another potential war in the village , killing more of their sons, brothers and husbands.

They hire Ukrainian dancers who happens to be in town in order to keep them distracted!

Things seem to run as planned , till a fight happens between the two teams again and young nessim is murdered afterwards outside the village ., leaving his mother with two murdered sons to mourn. And here comes one of the most beautiful heart felt scenes I've ever seen on screen , when nessim's mother cries and blame virgin marry for her son's death.

This scene changes the momentum and rocks you , forcing you to think about all the stupidity of the human being and his intolerance . while respecting his mother for hiding the news to save the village from another wave of blood.

You find yourself hopeful again when the rest of the women stop mourning and pursue their plan of keeping those kids ( men) from killing each other. Using hashish and belly dancing!

When all of those attempts didn't seem to work for good, they decide to teach them a lesson , each women wakes up and fakes a sudden conversion to her / husband – son! Just to raise a direct question: now you live with the enemy under one roof, what r u going to do?! Should we kill each other?!

Nadine Labky seemingly effortlessly manages too make you live a journey , a beautiful story and tackles a very sensitive issue in a simple yet deep , all with a funny side added. It makes you wanna complete it till the very end.

With all the women converted ( pretending) , they all move to bury nessim , and suddenly they realize where should he be buried , which side?. Askin all the same question , where shall we go now?!.