When the People Spoke May 2, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Announcements, Film & Ads, Kuwait, Women.trackback
Amer Al-Zuhair’s banned film "When the People Spoke" will be showing at the Graduate Society on Wednesday May 3rd 2006 at 6:30 p.m.
More at Zaydoun’s blog.
Oh I got invited to that. I’m sure it’s worth watching!
Dear Jewaira,
I attended the showing. I have very mixed and ambivalent feelings about what I saw, I am sorry to say. And not just because of the unfortunate disruptive technical difficulties which occurred. I even went back again, wanting to give it a second chance when I heard they would show it again a couple of hours later. No one showed up except me.
Sorry, it teetered on superficiality and had no real substance. It skimmed the surface of Kuwaiti women’s issues. I did not find anything in what I saw to be of real value, it was like an endless collection of newsreels and home video put together with a voice over. It was a showpiece. In terms of social value, I was not impressed by what I saw, and feel a valuable educational opportunity for Kuwaiti women was lost. I have much to say but don’t wish to hurt anyone’s feelings because I understand the spirit in which it was done. I apologise if I have already. I am proud a Kuwaiti man had the wherewithall and guts to attempt to make such a film.
Just my opinion. I think the beauty of his film is that it has the potential to engender debate and discussion, and is pointing out other greater issues and problems we are now facing as a society.
Again, I apologise for my criticism, but I am disappointed by what I saw and experienced.
MsB, with great respect for Mr. Al-Zuhair
So did they show it again? I was quite disappointed that there were technical difficulties; that just should not have happened.
I must agree with you MsBaker. What little we saw of the film was not very impressive. As documentaries go, it could have been so much more dynamic and informative. There was indeed a superficiality in the historical treatment and the film lacked a cohesiveness. I felt that it certainly needed better editing ( in the little we saw that was played over and over again) There was one bit in the march towards parliament where there was an unecessary focus shot on the ladies’ behinds as they walked.
The film got a lot of hype because it was banned. But in truth, its content was no less controversial than what we see everyday in the papers and in our daily discussions of social and political issues.
Having said that, though, I would like to express thanks to Mr. Al-Zuhair for putting out the effort to produce such a film in an attempt to archive Kuwaiti women’s suffrage movement. We need all the archiving especially audiovisual, that can be used to document historical moments and issues.
Jewaira-
No they did not show it again. I found myself pulling my car up to closed and locked gates at 9 PM, all dressed up for the social function I was originally supposed to go to, having decided to ditch and come back to the film.
MsB
Hmmm, looks like you were really giving the film another chance. I was happy to see many people there though.