Incendies

The film begins with the tragic passing of Nawal Marwan, the twin siblings' mother, after suffering a stroke at a community swimming pool. This event serves as a catalyst for her children, Simon and Jeanne, to reflect on her life and fulfill her final wishes outlined in her will.

In order to honor their mother's legacy, Simon and Jeanne decide to embark on a journey to their mother's birthplace, a nameless Middle Eastern country. This trip symbolizes their quest to uncover the truth about their mother's past and the sacrifices she made.

Through powerful flashbacks, we learn about Nawal's youth as a Christian woman during the Lebanese Civil War who becomes pregnant by a Palestinian refugee. Her brothers, horrified by this relationship, tragically kill her lover as they attempt to escape, marking the beginning of Nawal’s tumultuous journey.

Nawal confides in her grandmother about her pregnancy, and they decide to keep the child a secret to maintain family honor. When Nawal gives birth, her grandmother tattoos the infant's heel as a mark and secretly gives him away, forever altering Nawal's life.

After promising to reclaim her lost son, Nawal moves to the fictional city of Daresh for her education. However, the civil unrest forces her to abandon her studies and return home, desperately searching for her child amid the chaos.

Nawal discovers that the orphanage housing her son has been destroyed, prompting her to disguise herself as a Muslim to evade capture and reach a refugee camp. Her journey turns harrowing when the bus she boards is attacked, leading to chaos and great loss.

Haunted by the violence she witnessed and her inability to protect herself and others, Nawal joins a radical faction. Assuming the role of a French tutor, she gains access to a Christian leader and reluctantly becomes involved in an assassination plot.

Nawal's involvement in the assassination leads to her capture and imprisonment for 15 years in Kfar Ryat. As prisoner number 72, she endures relentless torture and despair, earning the moniker 'The Woman Who Sings' for her resilience.

During her time in prison, Nawal gives birth to twins, a moment of both anguish and joy. A compassionate nurse, recognizing the dire circumstances, secretly saves the infants and ensures they are reunited with Nawal upon her eventual release.

Upon her release and immigration to Canada, Nawal starts anew with her twins, but the shadows of her past linger. The scars of war and loss leave a lasting impact, shaping the lives of her children as they grow without knowing the full extent of their mother's struggles.

After Nawal's death, the will challenges Simon and Jeanne to find their estranged father and lost brother. Jeanne, determined to uncover the painful legacy of their mother, takes the initiative to connect with their family's past despite Simon's hesitations.

Jeanne's search leads her to her mother's former prison, where she discovers the harrowing truth of Nawal’s suffering and the identity of the nurse who aided her during childbirth. This revelation brings the painful history of their family into stark focus.

The siblings find out that Nawal's twin babies were named Janaan and Sarwan, and they track down their half-brother Nihad. As they delve deeper into their family saga, they uncover the dark paths taken by each family member amidst the backdrop of war.

With their search culminating, Simon and Jeanne manage to meet their half-brother who has also relocated to Canada. They deliver poignant letters from their mother, bringing with them the weight of familial connection and the legacy of loss.

The siblings place an engraved headstone at their mother's grave, fulfilling her last wishes. The haunting realization that Nawal once saw Nihad leads to a reflection on the intertwined fates of a family who endured unimaginable strife yet remained bonded by love.