Arabian Sands May 21, 2008
Posted by jewaira in Film & Ads, Life, Links, Men.trackback
As I was driving this morning, I listened to/watched a program on the KTV1 morning show. A young Kuwaiti actor named Abdullah Al-Tararwah was being interviewed for his role in the film about renowned explorer and travel writer Sir Wilfred Thesiger (also known by locals as Mubarak Bin London)
The film Arabian Sands رمال عربية is the work of Emirati businessman, director producer Majid Abdul-Razak (who also plays the role of Thesiger in the film)
The film is based on Thesiger’s book Arabian Sands which is an account of his travels across the Empty Quarter and the southern Arabian deserts with Bedu nomads notably two young men called Salim bin Ghabaisha
(who is reportedly still living in Abu Dhabi) and Salim bin Kabina.
It is a short film of 52 minutes in English with subtitles. I don’t know if it has already been shown in Kuwait but what reviews I read were not very positive and perhaps that is because of the historical nature of the film. I would love to see it and I hope I have not missed the showing here in Kuwait.
I enjoyed listening to the interview with the Kuwaiti actor Abullah Al-Tararwah who played the role of bin Ghabaisha, Thesiger’s second guide and companion.
The young Kuwaiti actor described how during filming, they would make long four hour trips to the site. That would mean finishing make-up and scene preparations and leaving at 2 am to reach the filming site. He describes the intense heat of 50 C and swears that the sands were 70 C and after filming a scene, or when taking a break, actors would be very quick to tend to the burning bare soles of their feet. The film was made during the summer.
Tararwah mentioned how Thesiger was reluctant for bin Gabaisha to join the exloration as he was almost camel-like in his walk but soon discovered he was a skilled desert hunter in the Bedu tradition.
Indeed, Thesiger had a very close bond with the two young boys and according to one article I read he truly loved bin Kabina, the first companion.
I don’t care about the reviews. I honestly cannot wait to watch it. Maybe they will screen it at “Bait Lothan” cinema very soon.
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Hello Angelo
If you or any other readers hear about a screening, please inform me as I would also like to see it. I seem to remember reading that a DVD would be out soon too.
Jewaira
What an interesting read. I was a bit shocked though when I read the part about the ‘lady like’ boys dressing up like women though. Also his description of the boy,
“this boy was dressed only in a length of blue cloth, which he wore wrapped round his waist with one tasselled end thrown over his right shoulder, and his dark hair fell like a mane about his shoulders.
He had a face of classic beauty, pensive and rather sad in repose, but which lit up when he smiled, like a pool touched by the sun. Antinous must have looked like this, I thought, when Hadrian first saw him in the Phrygian woods”
had me in absolute shock!
I don’t think I could have been able to describe a woman’s beauty with the vigour and enthusiasm he had when writing about Salim bin Ghabaisha !
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The world of men is an interesting place
It was interesting in the linked article how it was assumed Thesiger died a virgin. How can one make that assumption?
Jewaira
lol it was in the cinema last month. Check if its still running. I was dying to go but I didn’t find anyone to go with then I decided to just skip work and go by myself but I never got the chance to.
You can find a nice copy of his book in Jareer. Can’t remember how much it was though.
I also looked for it online to download but couldn’t find any torrents on it.
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Weeh Sushi, you could have organized a whole blogger outing in the Magical Mystery Boudoir Tour Bus to the cinema.
We would have had a good time…
Jewaira
Sounds interesting. I’ve heard about it from friends… Maybe I’ll watch it… hmmm… Would I get it online?
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Hello Distrubed Stranger
Read something somewhere about a DVD to be released soon.
Jewaira
Sex…Always there…
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You get what you look for, that’s what I say
Good to see you again DV
Jewaira
lol if I’d known you were interested I would have mentioned it before =))
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Yalla next time
Jewaira
You like stories where men describe each other in pseudo-erotic terms don’t ya?
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Not particularly … it was by chance that I came across this. But it did get my imagination worked up
Jewaira
Hi there;
I am the production manager of this movie and also the Head of Iranian crew which conciseted of< Art Director, Makeup Artists, DOP and else.
Unfortunatly I have not been informed for the screening of the “Arabian Sands”.
What I want from you is , please let me know how was the influence of the film on Europeans in UAE.
And if you have found links and says about the movie would you please send them to me.
“Forgive me for my dictation”
By all thanks
Mohammad Ehteshamzadeh
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Hello Mohammad
I am so glad you commented here.
Sorry to hear you were not informed of the screening.
As you can see from the comments I have not yet seen the film and we are in Kuwait; am not sure how it affected the Europeans living in the UAE.
If I find any more links on the film I will surely put them here.
Jewaira