In the shorts line-up presented this year, the main fact that calls our attention is the lack of similarity, both in cinematographic language and in their subject matters. Stories navigate from the Diaspora to the war and occupation, passing by the hidden secrets of families and the lack of communication between men and women. Actually, by mapping such different themes, this selection is a panorama which proves that the films made in the Arab countries cannot be lumped together.
from The Rodba
Our attention goes to Hafsia Herzi’s The Rodba, a comical drama chronicling the first day of French language class of a Palestinian woman in Paris and the problems she has to deal with due to her nationality. Worth mentioning as well are First Lesson, by Areen Omari and Wave by Mohammed Ben Attia.
from First Lesson
by Laila Hotait Salas aged 30 (Lebanon/Spain) The Rodba and Wave: Program 1 First Lesson: Program 3 See screening times below
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West is West
Andy De Emmony, UK, 2010 - Showcase
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ast is East’s commercial and cultural impact was something of a phenomenon back in 1999, making it one of the most successful British films in decades. For this and other reasons it was always going to be a tough act to follow.
ral heritage. But Khan’s past mistakes come back to haunt him and soon enough he sees himself losing a grip on his life yet again.
Nevertheless, TV director Andy de Emmony, most famous for his work on Father Ted and Spitting Image, embraced this sequel with open arms and a fresh new pair of eyes.
Funnier and sillier in many ways, West is West’s script lacks some of the charm and drama of its predecessor. The writing of Ayub Khan-Din, from whose life both films are inspired, is for some brief moment’s lazy and careless, miles away from the sharpness of his first venture.
West is West tells the story of George Khan, a well-intentioned but authoritarian patriarch whose “empire” was shredded to pieces in the earlier chapter. This time around he is determined not to make the same mistake by taking his youngest to Pakistan, in order to defend his family’s cultu-
20/10 Cinestar 6 06:30 PM
Om Puri’s immense talent is definitely on display here once again, at points carrying the entire film virtually on his own.
Yet somehow the film pulls off quite a stunt, as it is big enough to stand on its own. Far from the brilliance of East is East, but with enough strength to make it a refreshingly uplifting view.
by Fernando Vasquez aged 30 (Portugal)
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from Muscles
In fact, the number of short films from the Arab world is increasing radically each year. One of the reasons is the appearance of film schools and festivals in the different countries of the region. It is
true however that they are quite isolated, without much relation with other parts of the world or with the rest of the Arab countries.
ith a selection of nearly three dozen shorts from twenty five countries all around the globe, this year’s short film competition programme has something for every taste. Consisting of documentary, narrative and animated short films (as well as a number of cross-genre examples), stretching the notion of short from a couple of minutes up to over a half an hour, the selection might be a challenge to judge, but it’s certainly a treat to watch.
Traditionally seen as a platform for emerging talents making their first steps into the industry, this year’s competition is a reminder that the short film is a genre on its own. Award-winning actress Hafsia Herzi presents her directional debut Le Rodba, while established feature-film director Carlos Cuaron needs less than ten minutes to tell a playful story of a couple making an attack on a fast-food restaurant to save their marriage. The cast as well has some acclaimed names and is a special treat for those interested in Tunisian cinema scene, as Mouna Noureddine plays a leading role in the Wave and Anissa Daoud appears in the Album. In contrast with the documentary competition, the majority of the short films address less widely-discussed issues, drawing attention to subjects underrepresented in the current media. UK director Peter King presents an insightful story of the isolated Karosta region in postsoviet Latvia. The film combines a photographic approach to filming the half-demolished city together with short encounters with its inhabitants. As we are guided through the place by one of the young residents of Karosta, the story becomes more personal, thus more universal, allowing each viewer to relate to the subject. On the contrary, the animated short films selected for the festival tend to follow the recently established practice of addressing the socio-political issues in the genre of cartoons. Made in China is a motion-painting comment on the recycling of world history into a range of mass-produced goods. Esterhazi looks at the events related to the fall of Berlin Wall in 1989 from the perspective of a rabbit who makes a curious comment that “without the Wall Berlin it is not so cosy anymore". Tussilago tells a story of the West German terrorist Norbert Krocher’s ex-girlfriend from the time they met until the day she was arrested.
from Divino Freestyles
T
he Abu Dhabi festival undoubtedly cares in maintaining a balance between the number of Arab and non-Arab films shown. In that respect the range of short films presented in competition are a good fit. Another strongest point is the fact that Arab filmmakers of different generations find it easy to network, allowing for a real exchange to happen.
Short Film Competition:
from Ask the Wind
FROM DIASPORA TO LOVE: ARAB SHORT FILMS
بقعة ضوء
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It is fair to note that the festival presents a fairly diverse selection of short films from around the globe, giving a broad overview on the different film schools and cinematic trends. I was pleasantly surprised to see a high number of Iranian shorts united by their innovative and brave approach to filmmaking. Predictably enough, the majority of them address questions of social injustice and women’s’ rights. However, by offering a fresh perspective on those issues they invite us to join the discussion on the current socio-political situation in Iran. The creators of The Pool Party use the metaphor to talk about social inequality, while Ask the Wind is set up as a detective story in which a carelessly loosened veil leads to a murder. It is interesting to see that many Iranian filmmakers create highly conceptual artistic pieces, and even though there is enough room for further development, I believe that those films are promising sketches for high future achievements.
Program 1 21/10 Cinestar 4
01:00 PM
Program 2 21/10 Cinestar 4
07:00 PM
Program 3 20/10 Cinestar 4 22/10 Cinestar 4
04:00 PM 01:00 PM
Program 4 20/10 Cinestar 4 22/10 Cinestar 4
10:00 PM 04:00 PM
RITA by Fabio Grassadonia and Antonia Piazza, reviewed in Nisimazine #5, is screened in Program 1, 21 October 1 PM, Cinestar 4
With such great diversity, I found it curious to see that at least half a dozen of films present the world from the perspective of a child. A Gentle Push is a metaphor for a series of tragic events that collapse on little Robbie one afternoon, but turn out to be an essential step in the boy’s growing-up. An image of a whale dying on the seashore is beautifully incorporated into the film, gradually building an atmosphere of upcoming tragedy. The story of a Richard rebelling against his sister’s dream to become a bodybuilder, Muscles offers an intimate look at femininity from a perspective of a little boy. Fabio Yamaji whose short Divino Freestyles was included in the festival selection affirms that “short films are a great opportunity for experimenting, taking risks and being creative”. Each film presented at the festival is a confirmation of this statement.
byTina Remiz aged 21 (Latvia/UK)